Opposites attract
by Soulful-Eyes
Summary: When Kai finds a girl in the huge forest behind the school, things are about to change BIG time. bringing chaos, she has no memory and no name, and was sent to warn them about the great battle they all play a vital part in, can she remember her message, c
1. singing?

Kai was awoken by a sound by his window; he rolled over in his bed to look at the glowing red digits of the clock on his bedside table. 3:41, he groaned inwardly, who the hell is up at this...ungodly hour. Any more complaining thoughts were stopped as the sound started up again, Kai was able to determine that it was the same sound that had woken him in the early hours of the morning for the past three night, someone singing? He quickly rose from his bed and crossed the room to stand by the window, looking out over the huge forest that stood behind the school.  
  
He swung his gaze out over the black forest and the shadows cast by the trees. He couldn't see anyone but the voice still floated up to his window, from the forest. A sweet feminine voice, carried on the breeze from the shadowy trees, Kai had a feeling that the singer was just behind the borderline of the trees, but hidden by the shadows from the moonlight.  
  
Who the hell is out in the forest at this time? He silently wondered. Kai was one of the few students at toll Bar Business and Enterprise Boarding School who knew the great forest like the back of their hand, and were actually brave enough to enter it. Kai spent as much time as possible in the forest, because he knew that no one could find him when he was there, and it meant that total isolation was at last possible. It was a very useful place for escaping the world.  
  
Kai knew that it couldn't be anyone he knew in the forest, because the only people who would go in the forest were himself, Tala, Brian and Rei. No girls at all. Who was this singer?. Kai sat on the window sill and gazed out of the window while he listened to the song.  
  
Why have you forsaken me? In your eyes, forsaken me In your thoughts, forsaken me In your heart, forsaken, me, oh  
  
Trust in my, self righteous suicide I, cry, when angels deserve to die In my, self righteous suicide I, cry, when angels deserve to die  
  
Kai listened as the voice slowly died away, whoever it was, was an incredibly good singer. And that was one of his favourite songs. After about five minutes of absolute silence, he guessed that the show was over and, with a sigh, headed back to his bed.  
  
He paused at the foot of his bed and glanced around the dorm he shared with Rei, Tyson, Max and Kenny. Rei was breathing deeply and steadily in his sleep, it almost sounded as though the Chinese teen was purring in his sleep. Max was lying on his side, breathing lightly. Kenny was curled up in a ball under the covers on his bed, one arm wrapped protectively around his laptop. Inside the laptop was his bitbeast, a being placed on the earth, in Kai's mind, solely to provide sarcasm and wit when it was not needed. And Tyson, well Tyson snored like a foghorn and was laying perilously close to the edge of his bed. He also had a habit of kicking and fighting in his sleep. This was one of those nights.  
  
As he climbed into his bed, Kai sighed, he would not be getting anymore sleep tonight. He watched the navy haired boy thrash around his bed, waging war with the bed clothes. And losing. This is going to be a long night. He told himself that tomorrow; he would try to find who this girl was.  
  
~*~  
  
"Kai?"  
  
A voice sounded above him and he felt someone prod him in the ribs.  
  
"Kai?!" his name was called a second time. Kai cracked one eye open and flicked him wrist up, to wrap it around the poker's wrist as they tried to attack him again.  
  
He forced both his eyes open, only to close them again at the harsh light pouring in from the window. Damn it! He cursed inwardly. I forgot to close the curtains! Damn light! He slowly opened his eyes again, only to come face to face with a huge navy haired monster staring him in the face, inches away from his nose.  
  
"Arg!" Kai yelped and jumped out of bed, landing on the floor with a thump, glaring at Tyson, who was trying to look as innocent as possible. When had he fallen asleep? He asked himself, and why was Tyson up before him? Gah his butt hurt!  
  
"What the hell are you doing?!" he almost screamed at the bluenette, "What are you even doing up before me?!"  
  
"Um Kai, it's 8:30, we've been trying to wake you up for 15 minutes, and it's because I didn't sleep through my alarm clock going off this morning, unlike SOME people!" he sent Kai a meaningful glare.  
  
Tyson broke off his glare upon seeing Kai's surprised expression, which was something you really didn't see everyday. Kai only said one word before rushing off towards the bathroom which Rei was just exiting, and swiftly getting out of the way of the speeding slate haired teen.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
20 minutes later. All five boys were stood in their dorm room looking, well almost ready to face the horrors that the school day brought. Four of them were watching a certain crimson eyes teen struggle into his uniform at top speed, the face paint already applied.  
  
"I'm ready!" Kai panted pulling the red and blue tie over his messy hair.  
  
"Um Kai, I think you need to re-button your shirt" Rei pointed out. Kai glanced down at his shirt and saw what Rei was talking about. More than half of the buttons were in the wrong button holes. He sighed, frustrated and furiously began undoing and redoing the offending buttons.  
  
After that little problem had been sorted out, the five boys made their way down to the cafeteria of the huge mansion boarding school. Well Tyson and Max raced there, leaving Kenny, Rei and Kai to follow at their own pace.  
  
"Come on guys, we'd better hurry up if we want to have any food that light be left with Tyson around!" Rei chuckled at his own joke, as did Kenny, but Kai was too deep in his own thoughts to notice.  
  
When did I fall asleep? And how the hell did I oversleep?! Gah! I need a new alarm clock! Confused thought raced through his mind before returning to the singing last night.  
  
Down in the cafeteria, he poked his food around the plate subconsciously, he wasn't hungry. He pushed his still full plate towards the navy haired teen, who looked up at him in surprise, and walked away from the table to the lockers.  
  
Having retrieved the required equipment from his locker, he trudged towards his first class of the day, best to get it over with he inwardly sighed. He spent the whole 140 minutes of double maths watching Tyson flick pieces of rubber at Hilary, the class rep, when was he going to grow up? And when he grew bored of that, Kai watched Max randomly doodle on his exercise book, while Rei dozed, his chin resting on his chest. And Kenny, well Kenny, being the geek he is, listened intently to the teachers every word. Kai yawned, Rei's got the right idea! He thought to himself, as he halfed listened to the teacher droning on and on about algebra, or something along those lines. He dropped his head down onto his folded arms and closed his eyes.  
  
"Ahem!" coughed a voice from above Kai, who rolled his head upwards to look at the source of the voice.  
  
Miss Ellis was stood above him, looked down at him over the tops of her half moon glasses, a stern expression set into her features.  
  
"Am I boring you, Mr Hiwatari?" she asked in a clipped tone.  
  
"Not at all Miss Ellis" he replied in the same clipped tone, though with more sarcasm.  
  
"It's good to know that Mr Hiwatari, now, would you care to answer the question on the board for me?" she waved a hand behind her, gesturing to the board.  
  
Kai sighed and answered the question with ease, good this they had an absent minded teacher, they'd done the same thing now for the past three lessons.  
  
The bell rang out, at last, and everyone filed out of the classroom and the blade breakers headed towards the beydishes in the training grounds.  
  
-*-  
  
"GO DRAGOON!" Tyson yelled as he launched his blade into the dish, where it clashed against Max's green blade, Draceil, sending sparks flying everywhere.  
  
"Draciel defend!" called Max, the blade obeying it's masters command.  
  
Kai stood at the edge of the training ground closest to the forest, leaning against the fence. He was only half listening to the battle going on in front of him, no his attention was mainly trained on the huge forest spread out behind him, listening for that voice.  
  
He knew it was hopeless. She had never sung during the daytime before, he knew this because he listened out for her everyday. He was listening so hard that he didn't notice Tyson calling his name and waving a hand in front of his face.  
  
"Kai!" Tyson screamed and poked Kai between the eyes. This seemed to bring Kai back down to earth and his hand shot out, wrapping his fingers around Tyson's wrist in a vice like grip.  
  
Tyson squirmed and fought to get out of the death grip.  
  
"Ow, Kai OW! Let go you moron, you're cutting off the circulation!" Tyson screeched, trying to pry Kai's fingers away from his skin.  
  
Reluctantly, Kai released Tyson, dropping him to the floor unceremoniously.  
  
"Hey Guys!" squealed a voice from behind him, he turned around to see two young girls stood at the entrance to the training ground. The taller one had black hair with crimson streaks running through it and marine blue eyes, while the other one was a tiny young girl with dark brown hair and eyes to match, she had two black streaks painted onto her face directly under her eyes. She was extremely pale and dressed in the black school uniform made her look as though she'd given all of her blood to the Red Cross. But instead of the short pleated skirts the girls were expected to wear, she wore a floor length black skirt that hid her feet completely.  
  
"Hey Yushi!" shouted Max, beckoning the two girls over. The taller girl, ran over to him and jumped on him, tackling him to the ground in a bear hug. Whereas the smaller girl slowly walked over to the others.  
  
"Hey Hannah!" called Tyson and she swung her gaze towards the navy haired teen and nodded in recognition. "Care to battle?" he asked her casually.  
  
"Only if you're sure you want to get beaten again" Hannah replied in a dark voice.  
  
"Ha! That was a one off Hannah! Prepare to be crushed!" he yelled, "Rei, wanna start us off?"  
  
"Sure thing buddy, 3...2...1...Let It RIP!!!!!!!!!" the ebony haired boy shouted, standing next to the dish as the competitors launched their blades into the dish.  
  
Tyson wasted no time at all in going in for the attack, as his blade sped towards the deep purple blade simply spinning in the centre of the dish. Just as Dragoon was about to ram the other blade it shot out of the way and started clashing with the white blade.  
  
"Huh?" exclaimed Tyson surprised as he watched his blade getting hammered in the dish. With one final effort the smaller purple blade sent Dragoon crashing to the floor at Tyson's feet and sailing through the air, back into her owner's waiting hand.  
  
He gaped at the girl on the other side of the dish, who merely raised an eyebrow and told him to close his mouth before he started attracting flies.  
  
"Nice one Han!" squealed Yushi, who was sitting on the floor next to the dish, having finished tackling Max. "Tyson, you really should think before you go shooting your mouth off as usual!" she stated to Tyson. He didn't get a chance to retort as the bell rang, calling them all back to class.  
  
Kai pushed himself off the fence and headed back towards the huge foreboding building.  
  
"Tyson! You need to practice more!" he yelled over his shoulder at the dumbstruck boy.  
  
Rei hung back to talk to Yushi and Hannah.  
  
"Have either of you seen Riah?" he asked them, he hadn't seen the pink haired girl all morning.  
  
"Um...yeh, she had to go back up to the dorm, she left something up there that she needs for textiles I think." Yushi told him, "and you probably didn't see her in maths because you were in snooze land for all of it" She turned her imploring blue eyes on the Chinese teen. "Why?"  
  
Rei squirmed uncomfortably under her stare and a slight blush appeared on his cheeks, "Oh no reason!" he said quickly and jogged away from them quickly, "Cya later guys!" he called over his shoulder as he left.  
  
Hannah sighed and turned to Yushi, "when are they going to admit that they like each other?"  
  
"I have no idea but they'd better do it soon coz it's driving me insane!" Yushi replied and both girls headed back towards the school.  
  
-*-  
  
Later that night, when all of the students were loaded up with homework to do over the weekend, what fun! The blade breakers were lounging around in their dorm with their friends. Mariah and Rei were sat on Rei's bed, deep in conversation. Tyson and Max were battling it out on the console, X- men, while arguing over which character was the best. Hilary was there too, only she was knelt on the floor next to Tyson, constantly telling him what to do and as a result, Tyson was getting pretty pissed off. Kenny was talking to Yushi and Hannah, well more Yushi. Hannah was sat on the floor, her head in her hands and eyes closed. Everyone knew not to disturb her when she was like this.  
  
Kai was sat on the window sill next to his bed, staring out into the night. He was waiting for the singing to start, it was already 11 o'clock, it wouldn't be long now. He waited in silence for another 15 minutes. And then he heard her.  
  
I wish you here tonight with me to see the northern lights  
  
I wish you were here tonight with me  
  
I wish I could have you by my side tonight when the sky is burning  
  
I wish I could have you by my side  
  
Kai glanced around the room, no one else seemed to have noticed the voice. He turned his gaze back out of the window, trying to work out roughly where the singer was. It was a lot quieter tonight, he could only just hear it himself. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice Hannah sit next to him.  
  
"Kai" she said, he swung his gaze to rest on her face. "Go and find her" she told him, "I think she needs to be found" The dark haired teen got up and walked away from the crimson eyes boy. Kai looked at her retreating back suspiciously; she knew more about this girl than she let on. Dam her and her mysteriousness!  
  
Kai got up from the sill and went and pulled a black hoodie over the thin System of a Down T-shirt he was wearing. He paused on his way out of the door, sweeping Dranzer into the kangaroo pocket on the front of his hoodie, only to hear Tyson.  
  
"Where are you going at this time, Kai?" Tyson's annoying voice broke through his thoughts.  
  
"Out"  
  
And with that Kai swept through the door, shutting it behind him, and stalked down the corridor.  
  
-*-  
  
Kai almost ran down the stone steps that led to the forest, the voice getting louder as he approached the borderline of trees.  
  
Everything about you is how I wanna be  
  
Your freedom comes naturally  
  
Everything about you resonates happiness  
  
Now I won't settle for less  
  
Kai had been in the forest at night before, only this time he was in a hurry. He followed the sound of the voice as best he could. He ran almost silently across the forest floor, ducking low branches and jumping over giant roots that stuck out of the ground.  
  
Give me all the peace and joy in your mind  
  
I want the peace and joy in your mind  
  
Give me the peace and joy in your mind  
  
BAM!  
  
He ran straight into a low hanging branch, crashing onto his back on the forest floor. His vision went dark at the edges which slowly worked it's way inwards until unconsciencness took over, Kai's world went black. 


	2. the forest girl

"Ow"  
  
Kai groaned and brought a hand to his thumping head, he opened his eyes only to see the world spinning above him, he quickly closed them again.  
  
He slowly opened his eyes, and pulled himself into a sitting position, leaning back against a tree and took in his surroundings. He wasn't where he had fallen, definitely not. He was lying on a mound of ferns, softening the ground. A tiny fire was burning happily away in a small circle of stones to his left, and when he looked up he discovered there was a tattered piece of material stretched between 3 trees, creating a small canopy. He looked at his watch, 2 o'clock. He had been out for 3 hours!  
  
He quickly got to his feet, only to have to sit back down again to stop his head from spinning. A twig snapped behind the slate haired boy and he whipped his head around in time to see a tiny girl frozen to the spot, a small bundle of twigs tucked under one arm.  
  
Kai stared at the girl in wonder, how could such a tiny girl have moved him here by herself? She had knee length black hair, very messy and un- brushed. There were several black feathers wound into her hair at the foots. She was wearing a pair of pants that had been ripped off mid-thigh and a t-shirt cut off to show her trimmed stomach. Her feet were bare and Kai couldn't tell what colour her clothes had been as they, as well as their wearer, were plastered in mud. A necklace hung around her neck, an orb or something on a silver chain. But what was most fascinating about her, was her eyes. The wind blew her unruly hair away from her face to reveal a pair of ice blue eyes staring back at him. Her eyelids were painted a dark blue, and there were three black stars running under one of her eyes. Her eyes were wide as though in fear.  
  
"Um...hi" he began, and much to his surprise, the girl dropped her bundle and shot up the nearest tree. Kai leapt to his feet and ran to the bottom of the tree, looking up to see the girl crouched on a branch just out of his reach. She looked down at him and began to climb even higher into the huge oak tree.  
  
"Please wait!" he called into the tree.  
  
The tiny girl paused in her accent and looked down on him with those pale blue eyes.  
  
"Who are you? What do you want?" she spoke in a quiet voice, her head cocked to one side.  
  
"My name is Kai, I want to talk to you" he called up into the tree, "Now will you come down? I don't like having to shout to someone"  
  
"I prefer it up here" Came the reply.  
  
"In that case, I'll come to you" Kai stated as he began to work his way up the huge tree, finding foot and hand holds in the knarled bark of the trunk. He worked his way up until he was level with the girl, then he started to work his way across the thick branches towards her.  
  
"Don't come any closer, I don't know if I trust you!" the girl said in a wary tone.  
  
Kai stopped where he was, and settled himself down on the wide branch. "Ok, I don't know if I can trust you either" he said with a slight smile.  
  
"Why did you want to talk to me?" she asked him in a soft, but still wary voice.  
  
Kai thought, 'why did he want to talk to her?' he didn't actually know, he had just felt drawn to her, but he couldn't tell her this.  
  
"Well because, I want to know why you are here, and who you are, because I'm in this forest almost everyday and I've never seen you here before, I guess I'm curious as to why you are living in the forest" Wow, that had to be a record for Kai, he'd never had to explain himself to anyone before, let alone in so many words.  
  
The girl seemed to think about the question before giving her answer. "I can't answer any of those questions" she cast her eyes down.  
  
"Why not?" Kai asked leaning forwards.  
  
"Because I don't know the answer to any of them myself"  
  
"Well, surely you can tell me your name" Kai looked at her in shock as she shook her head, her black hair falling around her and blowing slightly in the breeze that whistled through the trees.  
  
"Why not?" he asked again.  
  
"because I don't have one"  
  
Kai's jaw nearly dropped. "No name? But everyone has a name! Surely you can remember it!"  
  
"No, all I can remember is the last few days, I've been here for," she counted off on her fingers, "4 days, and no, I don't know how I got here. I don't know anything, not even who I am! I'm so confused!" she dropped her head down and buried her hands in her hair.  
  
"All I can remember is my days in the forest, and everything else is just a blur, except the flames, and that I'm supposed to remember something very important but I can't and everything's a mess!" she wailed.  
  
Kai slowly started to make his way towards the distressed girl, "it's ok" he held his hand out to her, "I think it would be easier to talk on the ground"  
  
She brought her head up and looked at his hand suspiciously, "how do I know I can trust you?" she asked cautiously.  
  
"You don't, I guess you'll just have to take the chance" he said softly, still holding his hand out.  
  
She nodded and slowly reached out to grasp his large hand in her own delicate one. His hand enveloped her tiny one as they slowly and carefully made their way down to the ground. They were soon sat down on the thick beds of ferns under the canopy.  
  
"How did you know I was here?" the girl asked Kai, breaking the silence.  
  
"I could hear you singing and well I know that it couldn't be anyone I know because the only people who will enter the forest in the school are me, Rei, Tala and Brian. Although I'm sure Hannah goes in too. Why the hell do you sing so early in the morning?!" Kai stopped suddenly, realising he was rambling. What was wrong with him, he never rambled. He shook his head and decided that he must be suffering from concussion or something.  
  
"I can't sleep and besides I have no way of knowing what time it is...what time is it?" she asked inquisitively.  
  
"Um its," Kai glanced down at his watch, "2:30 in the morning" Kai told her, 'good thing it's a Saturday' he thought to himself. "What have you been living on?" he asked the girl.  
  
"Fruit and water" she replied, and as if on cue, her stomach growled hungrily.  
  
"Not very filling huh?" Kai smirked at her. She merely shook her head sadly. "I can get you some real food" her head shot up and she looked at him, almost pleadingly.  
  
"Oh could you?"  
  
"Yep, all you have to do is come back to the school with me, we can get you some food in the cafeteria!" She froze as he said this.  
  
"Y-you want me to go into the school?" she stuttered. "Tell me this, how am I supposed to get in and out of the school when it is students only? Where am I going to get the money to buy food? And how can you expect me to go into that place, which I can't I might add, looking like this!?!"  
  
"Easily, we can pass you off as a student, and I can give you money" Kai shrugged her little outburst off.  
  
"I don't want your money blue boy!" she almost spat at him. "And even if we did do that, that still doesn't solve the final problem!"  
  
"And what was that?" he asked innocently.  
  
"The fact that I am not going anywhere near the place dressed like this!"  
  
"I can get you clothes"  
  
"I'm not wearing any of your preppy clothes mister!"  
  
"Not those sort of clothes, girl's clothes, you baka! What makes you think I'd lend you any of my clothes anyway? They'd drown you!"  
  
"No way! I've seen what the girl's in there wear outside of school hours! All pink and girly, do I strike you as that type of person!?! What I want to know is how that tiny dark haired girl can breathe in the clothes she wears. She reminds me of a vampire, does she even breathe? And I don't really expect you to have girl's clothes hidden at the back of your wardrobe unless you are some kind of freak, which I am actually beginning to consider. And I resent that comment!" she snapped.  
  
"What sort of clothes would you wear?!"  
  
"I...I don't remember but definitely not those sort of clothes!" she paused slightly, screwing her eyes shut in an attempt to remember something.  
  
"Um...I'll get you something, you'll just have to wear it until you find something that you would wear" Kai sighed, "besides, the weather is turning, and you'll freeze in those" he jerked his head towards her small ripped clothes.  
  
The girl seemed to consider it for a moment. "Ok, you get me some clothes, and I'll think about going into your stupid school!"  
  
"Deal?" Kai held his hand out to the wild girl, who was now sat with her arms folded tightly across her chest, and a scowl on her face.  
  
She glared at him, before hastily shaking his hand.  
  
"Deal" she muttered under her breath.  
  
"You'll need a name though" he pointed out thoughtfully.  
  
"Hmm...I guess I'll have to think up a new one won't I?"  
  
The girl seemed to think for several minutes, "I got nothing" she sighed.  
  
"I know a name that might suit you!" Kai said to her.  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"Raven"  
  
"Raven?"  
  
"Raven"  
  
"Why that?"  
  
"I don't know, you just strike me as a Raven" he said quietly.  
  
"Well I like it, Raven it is!" she announced in a cheery voice, she beamed at him, "now we just need to get me some clothes and you might just get your way"  
  
"Raven...what do you remember?" she flinched at the sudden change of subject.  
  
"Nothing at all" she said, "apart from a few random pictures and that I'm supposed to remember something really, really important! Why?" she almost bit his head off.  
  
"Ok then, I can see this is a touchy subject, I'll be back in about half an hour, I'm going to get you some clothes" Kai stood up looked down at the tiny female. He began to walk back through the trees towards the school. If he'd stayed he would have heard Raven reply.  
  
"Thank you, Kai Hiwatari"  
  
-*-  
  
Oooh wot ya think readers? In case you didn't notice, he never actually told her his surname, how does she know this? I know ^_^!!!!!!! And you'll just have to wait to find out won't you. Please review.  
  
Raven: Please do...she'll go crazy if you don't *shudders at past memories*  
  
Soulful-eyes: I don't go crazy...much ^_^; 


	3. first appearances

Do you know what I've realised I haven't done? Do ya? Go on, take a guess.  
  
Raven: She's forgotten to do the disclaimer.  
  
Hey! You just gave it away, I wanted somebody else to tell me! You spoilsport!  
  
Raven: Well, sorry for ruining your little game.  
  
So you bloody well should be. Anyway, why are you even here?  
  
Raven: I'm your OC, therefore I can pop up whenever I want  
  
Hannah: She's right you know  
  
What the! . You too?!  
  
Yushi: And me!  
  
*mutters to self* they are all ganging up on me, Any way, now that your all here, who wants to do the disclaimer for me.  
  
All but Raven: *point at Raven*  
  
Raven: *point at Yushi* Dam! . I guess I'll have to do it then. Ok, Soulful-eyes does not own Beyblade, because if she did the world would be a very scary place. Hey! *ducks flying pencil* She does however, own all her own OCs, that would be me, Hannah and Yushi. There are probably going to be more OCs in the future, but she will tell you when they get here. Now then...on with the fic.  
  
*pouts* That was my line!  
  
~*~  
  
'Why the hell am I doing this?' Kai asked himself as he walked quickly down the corridor to his and his friend's dorm room. Kai was never nice to people, what made this girl special? He opened the door as quietly as he could, closing it behind him. He immediately started raving through his chest of drawers next to his bed In search of something small enough to fit Raven.  
  
All he could find was a black t-shirt with an outline or Mr Happy holding a gun on the back, it said 'Not mental, Just special' on the front. It didn't fit the slate haired boy anymore. But he couldn't find any pants for her, he looked around him at his sleeping team mates until his eyes came to rest on Kenny, the smallest of the group.  
  
He raved through Kenny's belongings without a second thought; he finally came out with what he was looking for, a pair of denim cut-offs. Judging by the length of them they should reach down to Raven's knees. He had no idea of what shoe size she was, so again Kenny was the smallest in this area, he dug out a pair of sandals from Kenny's seemingly never ending supply. He shoved the clothes into a bag and slung it over one shoulder, he paused to grab a hair brush and some elastics from Rei's bedside cabinet and a few candy bars from Tyson's stash, under his mattress, which he thought no one knew about. God that boy is dense!  
  
He made his way back through the winding corridors of the mansion like building, towards the entrance hall. He was surprised that there were actually no security cameras in the entire school grounds, anyone could walk in or out. He jogged through the grounds and back into the forest, pulling his hood over his head as he ran. He was careful not to hit any branches this time and soon reached the small clearing.  
  
"Raven?" he called. He looked around him for any sign of the black haired girl.  
  
"Raven! Where the hell are you?!"  
  
"Don't make me come and find yo-!" he was cut short as a high pitched shriek sounded above him. He looked up just in time to see a familiar shape pounce on him, wrapping her legs around his neck, pulling his hair and scratching his face and neck.  
  
"Raven! What the hell are you doing?! It's me Kai!" he yelled, trying to prise the wild girl off him.  
  
She stopped suddenly, dropping off him like a stone. "Oops, sorry Kai I didn't know it was you. Why do you have your hood up anyway? I didn't recognise you without the two tone hair!" she grinned sheepishly at him.  
  
"Do you attack everyone who comes in here?" he brought his hand up to his neck, feeling something warm run down his neck, when he took his hand away blood stained his fingertips. "I brought you some stuff!" he said gruffly, throwing the bag towards her.  
  
Raven pounced on the bag, tipping the contents onto the forest floor. "Ooh thank you Kai!" she held up the t-shirt to the light. The sun was just rising, giving the forest a golden glow. "Give me a minute" she grabbed the bundle in her arms and ran off into the trees. Kai sighed and leaned back against a tree to watch the sun rise.  
  
"Having fun?" came a voice from behind him, he snapped his head around to see a totally different looking Raven stood leaning against a tree.  
  
The denim cut-offs reached down to her knees, hanging loosely off her hips. The t-shirt was huge on her, but she had gathered it at her waist and tied it in a knot. The sandals were strapped loosely onto her feet, obviously still too big. Her wild hair had been brushed and pulled back into a loose plait, reaching the back of her knees. Around her head, she'd tied an ice blue bandanna, a few ebony bangs framing her heart shaped face.  
  
"Where did that come from?" he pointed to the bandanna, he hadn't put that in the bag.  
  
"It was in the bag with the other stuff" she replied, looking at him oddly, "Are you ok?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine" he said quickly. He had been staring, staring at her.  
  
.:Well she is cute:.  
  
'What the hell, who are you?!'  
  
.:I'm you:.  
  
'Ay?'  
  
.:*sighs* I'm your conscience, therefore I am you:.  
  
'um ok, why start talking to me now?'  
  
.:Because I've never had chance to say anything before, honestly do you realise that you never shut up in your thoughts. I'm only talking now because you were totally speechless, in more ways then one:.  
  
Before Kai had a chance to reply, raven broke in on his thoughts  
  
"Are you sure your ok? You just seem to be scowling for no apparent reason. You look like you're arguing with someone!" she burst out laughing. Making Kai scowl even more.  
  
"What's so funny?!" he demanded.  
  
"The look on your face!" she choked out, in between the giggles. "It was hilarious!" she broke down again.  
  
Kai watched the girl rolling around on the forest floor, clutching her stomach and howling with laughter.  
  
.:Go on, you know you want to, smile, laugh with her:.  
  
'Shut up!' Kai growled silently  
  
.:Why should I listen to you?:. the little voice cried out in a sing-song voice.  
  
'Because I am you!'  
  
.:Oh...good point...I guess I can't argue with that:.  
  
Kai allowed himself a small smirk, Kai:1, Annoying little voice: 0!  
  
He pushed his hand into his pocket, pulling out the candy bars he'd put in there earlier, he tossed them at the girl struggling for breath on the ground.  
  
"I brought you something" he said quietly.  
  
He watched her face as he eyes widened and her mouth dropped open slightly as she gaped at the treats in front of her.  
  
"You brought me candy!!" she squealed and launched herself at the slate haired teen in a crushing hug. She had a vey tight grip, that was for sure. Kai was unsure of what to do, besides struggle for breath; he'd never been in this sort of situation before. He stiffened in her grip, waiting for her to let go.  
  
"Um, Raven?" He choked out, "I need to breathe!" She let go and sat back on the ground, to eat her candy. "Heh, guess I don't know my own strength" she chuckled. Slowly he sat down about two feet away from her, watching her eat.  
  
"I meant to ask you before," he began, "How exactly did you move me from where I fell?"  
  
"I carried you, it wasn't far"  
  
Kai did a double take, "You carried me?!" he spluttered, "how?!"  
  
"Well, I picked you up and put one foot in front of the other in a walking motion and somehow I ended up here, where I put you down" she said sarcastically.  
  
"But I'm like...3 times your size!"  
  
"Well I guess I must be really strong then, mustn't I blue boy"  
  
For once, Kai couldn't think of a comeback. Amazing isn't it. He decided a change in subject was in order.  
  
"So, have you thought anymore about our deal?" he asked casually, as though he were just slipping it into the conversation.  
  
"Yeah I have, and before I say anything I want to know, just how are you planning on doing this?" She looked at him with her ice blue eyes, raising one eyebrow.  
  
"Well, I was planning on getting you into the school, we could easily get you a uniform, but then you'd have to go lessons as well. You can't live in this forest forever you know" Kai said bluntly, watching her face for a reaction.  
  
"Well, since you've been so helpful, I'm going to try it," she said, "but only to see if I like it!" she added warningly.  
  
Kai pulled himself to his feet and grinned down at her.  
  
"Let's get going then"  
  
-*-  
  
"So Hannah," Tyson began, spraying food all over the place, "where did Kai go last night? You're the only one who seems to know anything about it" Everbody was sat in the cafeteria  
  
"Eww Tyson! Say it, don't spray it!" Yushi yelled, while covering her head with her hands.  
  
Rei and Mariah were both too deeply engrossed in conversation to have any idea of what was going on around them. God only knows what they were talking about.  
  
"Well Hannah? What do you know?" Max asked, turning to look at the small dark haired girl.  
  
Before she had chance to answer, Yushi started bouncing around in her seat, and pointing towards the entrance of the cafe'.  
  
"Johnny!!!!" she squealed and raced off towards the doorway where four boys were stood. The boy at the front with flame red hair and a purple bandanna, looked worried as he noticed the girl speeding towards him.  
  
"Yushi, slow down!" he yelled. Too late. Yushi slammed straight into him, tackling him to the ground in a crushing hug. All of the other boys had jumped out of the way, trying to avoid getting taked down too.  
  
A boy with lime green hair and a beret crouched down to pull the hyperactive girl off his friend. "Yushi, have you any sugar this morning by any chance?" he asked, his voice had a light French accent as he spoke.  
  
"Weeeeeeell, just a little bit" she held up two fingers to show a tiny amount. She then just giggle and started dancing around the small French boy.  
  
"Oh joy" the tall purple haired boy at the back muttered under his breath. Yushi didn't hear this and decided to dance with Johnny instead. She grabbed his and Oliver's hands and dragged them off towards the table.  
  
When she got there, she found that the All Stars team had joined them and were talking with the Bladebreakers.  
  
"you know, you still haven't answered my question Han" Tyson stated, he pointed his fork at the dark haired teen, who gave him a 'you're insane' look.  
  
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" she jerked her head towards the doorway.  
  
Everyone's head swung round to see what Hannah meant. Kai was stood in the entrance, next to an unfamiliar, yet very pretty girl with very long black hair and piercing ice blue eyes, and an ice blue bandanna. More than one mouths dropped open.  
  
-*-  
  
Ooh...readers...please review...lol  
  
What is going to happen next eh? I know and you don't! Nyaaaa!  
  
Raven, Hannah and Yushi: *sweatdrop*  
  
See ya next chapter! ^_^ 


	4. meeting the crew

Hi!!!!!!!!!! Am bk...soz it took a while 2 update...my head is full of brain gloop as im suffering from THE BLOCK...*freezeframe*!  
  
Raven: I'm not surprised your head is full of gloop, after all those times you banged your head on the desk!  
  
^_^; anyway GUESS WHAT I DID PEOPLE!...I made pancakes...all by myself...*proudly holds up plate of pancakes*  
  
Hannah: I wouldn't wave those around so much if I were you  
  
Why not?  
  
Hannah: that's why  
  
*Is now holding empty plate* What the!? Where did my pancakes go!? *wails*  
  
(Chomping sound in background)  
  
All: TYSON!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Tyson: ^_^; hehe hi guys *nervous grin*  
  
Tyson I am going to kill you, do you have any idea how long I spent on those...*cries*  
  
Yushi: *pats soulful-eyes on shoulder* there there.  
  
Tyson: A lot longer than it took to eat them  
  
Why you little! I'll kill you! *screams and runs at Tyson*  
  
Tyson: *gulps* gotta go *runs away as fast as he can with soulful-eyes chasing him with inflatable hammer*  
  
Yushi: Ok since she's gone I'll do the disclaimer. Soulful eyes does not own Beyblade, much to her disappointment, she does however own the OCs, Me, Raven and Hannah...maybe more in the future. And now...on with the fic!  
  
-*-  
  
"Who is that?" Enrique drooled...his eyes replaced by two pink hearts as he gawked at the raven haired beauty in the doorway.  
  
"Close your mouth Rique" Hannah said coolly, swinging her feet up to rest them on the table, displaying huge black boots with metal toe caps. One word of warning, don't get on the wrong side of Hannah.  
  
"Aww, what's the matter?" the baby blonde boy sidled up to the dark eyes girl, "Not getting jealous are we?" he attempted to slyly wrap an arm around Hannah's shoulders.  
  
"Touch me and you will die, blondie boy!" she snapped glaring at the Italian boy. He gulped and laughed sheepishly, pulling his arm back. He soon went back to staring at the new girl.  
  
Glancing around the table, Hannah realised that every male was looking at her with the same expression. She looked over at Yushi, who rolled her eyes comically. Hilary looked like she was going to murder Tyson for looking at this new comer like he was, she wasn't even dating him and denied that she liked him, even though it was as clear as day.  
  
Hannah took a look around the entire dining hall; every male in the room was under the same effect. She sighed and returned to reading the Stephan King book that had been resting on her lap.  
  
~*Hannah's POV*~  
  
Guys are so pathetic! They see a hot girl and they are love struck! Honestly, they are so easily amused. I wish Hilary would just make a move on Tyson, all this denial is giving me a headache! It's the same with Rei and Mariah! Pfft, why don't they just get on with it already?!  
  
As for Yushi, I'm not sure whether it's going to be Max or Johnny. I think I'd prefer it if she went for Max, Johnny's a bit of a player. Oh well, it's her descision. I just don't want her to get hurt. This doesn't sound like me, I may not show it but I do care for my friends.  
  
Okay...I think the guys need to stop staring, she looks pretty freaked.  
  
Kai's bringing her over here, and she looks dead nervous, and pretty scared. WE AINT THAT SCARY. Okay...I take that back, I probably look pretty freaky right now, what with a studded collar and steel cap boots. She has every reason to be afraid of Enrique, I should probably warn her about him, and Michael thinking about it. He is such a player, it makes me want to kill him sometimes. Maybe I should just tell her to watch out for all of the players, but then again, there aren't many who aren't players.  
  
"Hey EARTH TO HANNAH!" somebody yells, I snap out of my thoughts, to see Yushi poking me furiously.  
  
"What already?!" I yank my arm out of her reach.  
  
"Those musta been some pretty deep, dark thoughts. I've been talking to you for five minutes!" she glares at me, I've gotta stop zoning out like that!  
  
"Yeh well you got my attention now, what do you want?!"  
  
"I was saying how we should snap everybody out of their little trances!" she smiled at me.  
  
"And what did you have in mind?" I'm interested now.  
  
She held up a CD, Britney Spears, I wince, God I hate that CD, so does everybody else, except those preppy slutty bitches that are famous amongst the players, but I guess that's a good thing in this case. I smile vampire- like, I've been told many times that's how I smile, Yushi has some twisted ideas, but that's why she's my best friend.  
  
Yushi slots the CD into the player in her bag and plugs the mini speakers in, she cranks the volume up to full, and hits the play button. 'Crazy' screams out through the cafeteria, snapping people out of their trances.  
  
The guys all cover their ears and start shouting insults at us; I won't bore you with details. The 'preppy sluts from hell' all start singing along to the music, this is the signal to turn the music off. Well at least everyone is back in reality.  
  
During the commotion, Kai managed to get the new girl over to the table.  
  
"Hey morons" JERK! He says, "I want you to meet someone"  
  
~*Normal POV*~  
  
Raven looked around the table nervously, why were those two guys staring at her like that?!  
  
"Hi there!" Max pipes up, "I'm Max, who are you?" That boy could outshine the sun at times.  
  
"My name is Raven" she replies in a quiet voice.  
  
"It's great to meet you Raven, are you new here?" Max chatters.  
  
"Yeah, I am"  
  
"Cool, I'm Yushi," She stands up and shakes the black haired girl's hand, she then pointed over to the dark haired teen with her legs propped up on the table, seemingly submerged in a thick book on her lap. "That's Hannah, she probably wouldn't introduce herself, she doesn't talk that much" Yushi plastered a 500 watt smile on her face, "you want a loveheart?" she giggled, offering Raven a sweet.  
  
"No thanks, um, why are they staring at me like that?" she looked over at Michael and Enrique cautiously. The two boys in question shook their heads and tried to look innocent.  
  
"Who us? We weren't staring," Enrique babbled, rising to his feet to stand in front of the tiny black haired girl, "I'm Enrique, but you can call me Rique" he smiled at her, leaning down to take her hand in his own, raising it to his lips.  
  
"Let go" she glared at him  
  
"As you wish" he released her hand, flashing a coy smile as he sat back down.  
  
"I'm Michael" the other boy who had been staring at her disturbingly, he glared at the blonde boy next to him. He had deep purple hair with a baseball cap pulled over his head, he had blue eyes, just like the blonde known as Enrique.  
  
Raven looked at them both distastefully, she whispered to Yushi, "Players huh?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Yushi nodded, "those two are in constant competition with each other, I'd watch out for them if I were you" Raven nodded understandingly.  
  
"Okay...that's Rei and Mariah over there," Yushi pointed everyone out to Raven, "that's Lee, Eddy, Steve, Kevin, Gary, Emily, Tyson and Hilary...watch out, she's very bossy" she chuckled at her own joke.  
  
"Hey...I resent that comment!" the brunette swung her glare from Tyson to Yushi, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"Good for you!"  
  
"Are you two going to sit down or what?!" Tyson spoke, through a mouthful of food. Spitting crumbs everywhere until Hilary smacked him upside the head. A small glaring competition was held between the two.  
  
Enrique and Michael both leapt out of their seats, offering them to Raven, whilst glaring at each other. Raven decided to go and sit with Kai on the other side of the table, she felt uneasy around the rival players.  
  
An orange haired girl with glasses and a tennis racket sticking out of her backpack leaned over to Raven. "So how do you know the sourpuss?" she asked her.  
  
"Sourpuss?" Raven was totally and utterly confused and it was showing.  
  
"Yeah, Kai, how do you know him"  
  
~*Raven's POV*~  
  
Oh God, what do I say? Oh yes, I met him when he came looking for me in the forest and knocked himself out so I had to carry him back to my camp. Yeah, that's going to sound just great.  
  
"Um," I looked over to Kai for help, I think he saw my distress because he kindly filled in for me.  
  
"We met in the entrance hall, I got stuck with her as being her guide and we got talking" Gee, make it sound like you don't want me there why don't you! I guess it must have been the best he could come up with, seeing as we can't exactly tell them the truth can we?  
  
"Where did sourpuss come from?" I ask the orange haired girl I now know to be Emily, courtesy of Yushi.  
  
"Well, that's basically what he is so it's a fitting description" Emily chuckled while off to the side of me I hear Kai grunt his enthusiasm.  
  
Well that's it, we basically spent about an hour asking and answering questions, it made me realise that its going to be harder than I thought to keep up with all these lies that I'm having to tell. That means I've gotta remember them all, damn!  
  
"What's this? A new recruit for the circus? If you've got any sense you'll leave this group of freaks for more...better crowds, us for example. That is unless you like hanging with losers"  
  
-*-  
  
FINISHED! *faints*  
  
Raven: um...*pokes with stick* u alive?  
  
CHYAH! God that took long enough didn't it? Anyways I'm done now and I'm sorry I took so long to update, I had a very bad case of the BLOCK! Anyway...enjoy! 


	5. meet the players

W00t! We are finally getting the demolition boys into the story!  
  
Hannah: ¬.¬ oh joy.  
  
Don't be such a downer! I'm sure you're actually just as excited as me to get them into the story.  
  
Hannah: Ecstatic, -_-U  
  
Yushi: I wanna do the disclaimer! Pick me! Pick me!  
  
*rolls eyes* fine.  
  
Yushi: YAY! ^_^, Soulful-eyes, I think we should just call you S-F for short you know, doen not own Beyblade, much to her dismay, she does however own any OCs in this fic, including me, Hannah and Raven...done!  
  
On with the fic!  
  
-*-  
  
"What's this? A new recruit for the circus? If you've got any sense you'll leave this group of freaks for more...better crowds, us for example. That is unless you like hanging with losers" A cold voice sounds from behind Raven, she whipped my head around to come face to face with a burly boy with pale lavender hair and matching eyes, a smirk on his face.  
  
A faint hiss sounds from behind the black haired girl, coming from the dark haired girl. This was the first time Hannah had stirred since Raven had arrived, she thought she was asleep.  
  
"Then call me a circus freak and leave me alone!" Raven bit out, glaring at the lavender haired teen. She glanced over at his companions, who raised an eyebrow at her remark.  
  
There was a short purple haired boy with a green hat pulled over his head, his hair sticking out of the top, he had a huge nose and must have only 4 ft tall at the most. A tall blond haired boy with a white and green open topped hat, and a boy with crimson hair, styled in a wing like fashion, parting at the back and standing up on either side, he had crystal blue eyes.  
  
There were three girls stood with them, practically hanging off them. They looked like your average snobby bitches, in their mini skirts and kitten heels. All were blonde, no surprise there, and probably had blonde minds to accompany it. (A/N no offence 2 blondes!) The red haired one was attempting to shrug one blonde off, who was attempting to wrap herself in his arms. He pulled himself out of her reach and went to stand on the other side of the lavender haired boy. The blonde girl pouted and latched herself onto the blond boy.  
  
"What makes you so special, and who the hell are you?!" Raven snapped at the group.  
  
"Name's Bryan, and you'll do well to remember it, little one!" he sneered, looking down at her.  
  
Raven visibly growled and narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll file it away under my list of morons!"  
  
"Watch your mouth little girl!" The short purple haired boy shouted out, balling up his fists.  
  
"Who asked you shrimp?!" Raven spat out. If looks could kill, this boy would be a mere jam stain on the floor!  
  
"Do not even try it ice blue, before I take it upon myself to shut you up myself!" Bryan stepped towards the black haired girl threateningly. Raven stood her ground, glaring up at the huge boy. She heard a chair scrape back behind her.  
  
"Leave her alone Bryan!" someone hissed, Raven half turned her head to see Hannah on her feet, scowling at the lavender eyed teen. Bryan grinned and stalked towards the tiny gothic girl.  
  
He wrapped a hand around her neck and lifted her clean off the ground, dangling two feet above the floor. The red haired boy, started forwards, but then he stopped, a blank expression settling once again over his features.  
  
"Don't worry little one, I haven't forgotten about you" he leered. Bringing her close to his face, "what no smart ass come backs today? I'm hurt!" Hannah only glowered at him in silence. He smile at her and released her dropping her to the floor, she fell to one knee, her head drooping and her hair hanging in front of her face. She yanked her head up and rose to her feet, glaring defiantly at Bryan.  
  
The huge boy turned to Raven, "See you around Ice blue!" he called over his shoulder whilst smirking nastily. He swept away, the blond and purple haired teens following, with the girls hanging off them. The red haired boy lingered for a second, casting his eyes over Hannah, before he too, turned and walked out of the room.  
  
Yushi and Max rushed to Hannah's side, but neither trying to touch her.  
  
"Hannah are you ok?!"  
  
"He's a bastard! Who does he think he is?!"  
  
"Are you sure you're ok?!"  
  
The questions just seemed to bounce off Hannah, as though she didn't even hear them, didn't see them. Raven walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. A sudden image of pure shadow and darkness entered Raven's mind as soon as she laid hand on the gothic girl. Hannah visibly flinched at the touch and Raven quickly removed her hand.  
  
"I-I just wanna thank you, for standing up for me back there!" she said, covering up her surprise at the little vision she had just experienced, looking for some kind of reaction from the silent girl. She got none.  
  
Hannah just walked through them towards the exit, away from her friends. Her long coat billowed out behind her as she swept through the doorway and out into the school grounds. Raven started after her, but stopped as a hand was laid on her shoulder. She turned to see the dark skinned boy known as Eddy stood behind her. He shook his head. Raven looked over at the doorway, only to find Hannah gone.  
  
No one else made any move to follow her, Yushi, Max and Raven sat back down, making backward glances at the doorway through which the girl had disappeared.  
  
"Will she be alright?" Raven cast a concerned look around the table.  
  
"She'll be fine, she's strong. Besides, that little incident was nothing" A new voice sounded from behind the ice blue eyed girl. She swivelled around in her seat to see a small brown haired boy, with his hair covering his eyes and a pair of glasses perched on his head. He was clutching a laptop in his arms. "I'm Kenny" he held a hand out to Raven.  
  
"Raven" she stated, taking the new boy's hand. He turned and sat down at the table, opening his laptop on the table. He started typing away on it. "It's nice to meet you Raven"  
  
She nodded. "What exactly went on there? And who were they?" Raven asked around the now silent table.  
  
"Hannah and Bryan have history, and are like arch enemies, they were from the very beginning" Tyson said in a serious tone, with a serious face to go with it.  
  
"The red head was Tala, he's usually silent and doesn't get involved in things, he's a player! They all are. The short arse was Ian and the tall blonde is Spencer." Hilary filled in, scowling as each name was mentioned.  
  
"The three girls were Amy, Lilly and Carrie, the school bitches." The purple haired boy known as Robert said, folding his arms over his chest.  
  
"I take it they don't like any of you" Raven said, raising one eyebrow.  
  
"No, the only people they'll associate with are Kai, Johnny, Rei, Robert and Michael" the small green haired boy with a blue and red beret on his head said.  
  
"True Oliver" Johnny looked up from his card game with Yushi.  
  
Raven made a small 'oh' sound and sank back into her seat, a frown set on her face as she sank into deep thought.  
  
"Hey Tyson, I finished upgrading Dragoon!" Kenny said to the navy haired boy who had returned to stuffing his face with food, much to Hilary's annoyance.  
  
"Nice one Chief! Thanks!" Tyson yelled, grabbing the white blade out of Kenny's outstretched hand.  
  
"Hey Chief, have you finished with Driger yet?" The ebony haired boy with golden eyes who had been talking to the pink haired girl, turned to the brunette.  
  
"Sure have Rei, here you go!" he held a silver coloured blade out to the golden eyes boy, whose face lit up in a grin, revealing sharp fangs to everyone.  
  
"Thanks chief!"  
  
"Well, no one thank me then!" a sarcastic woman's voice seemed to come from no where. Raven look around her, looking for the source of the voice. She then looked at Kenny, and realised the voice had come from within the laptop.  
  
"Oh sorry Dizzi, thanks!" Rei smiled sheepishly, while Mariah giggled at him.  
  
Mariah looked at Raven and chuckled at the small girl's confused expression, "Um, Chief, I think you need to explain" she jerked her head towards Raven.  
  
"Huh? Oh yes! Well Raven, Dizzi is my bitbeast, and due to a freak power surge last year, she got trapped in my laptop, I can't really explain anymore because I don't understand it myself" Kenny filled in.  
  
"Is no one going to introduce me to the new girl?!" Dizzi's impatient voice said.  
  
"Oh fine, if it will make you happy! Dizzi Raven, Raven Dizzi!"  
  
"Nice to meet ya! If I had a body I would shake your hand" Dizzi chuckled at her own joke.  
  
"Right back at ya!" Raven grinned, somehow knowing the laptop could see her. The grin soon slid off her face and the frown resettling on her features.  
  
"You want to know why she reacted when you touched her don't you?" Raven broke out of her trance and snapped her head around to come face to face with Kai, this was the first time he had spoken for a while.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Hannah doesn't like people touching her, she never has, she'll tolerate some people, but not most" Kai said solemnly, though Raven's mind kept flicking back to the vision, and the necklace that hung around her neck, as though the two were connected somehow. She knew that Hannah had not just pulled away because she didn't like to be touched, she had reacted to Raven.  
  
"Do you blade Raven?" A burly boy with green hair dressed in a football kit asked.  
  
"Sure do!" Raven said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out an ice blue blade. Her bitbeast Icefire was like her best friend. Wait, she'd remembered something. She hadn't been able to recall her bitbeast's name before now. Coo coo coo chu!  
  
"Cool! Wanna battle later?!" Tyson leaned forwards, looking excited, his chocolate brown eyes practically dancing.  
  
Raven pulled at a chain around her neck, pulling a pendent from the inside of the t-shirt. It was a miniature glass sphere, but in the centre of it a tiny blizzard swirled around and around. The miniscule snow flakes and ice shards battered silently against the glass sides of the ball.  
  
She stood, tapping Kai on the shoulder, "I'll be back soon" Kai nodded and turned back to the other people at the table. Raven soundlessly left the cafeteria and headed out to the forest. She was looking for something, and she knew where she would find it, she just didn't know what it was yet. She just had to find it.  
  
-*-  
  
Raven kept on walking through the dense forest, until she came to the small clearing she had been staying in when she first arrived. And sure enough, there was something hanging from a low branch. It was a necklace almost identical to her own, only instead of a snow storm raging around inside, there was a black shadow. As though the light around the darkness was swallowed by the impending black.  
  
Raven pulled it off the branch and held it up to the light streaming down through the trees. The black cloud seemed to swirl in a slight spiral.  
  
"The Dark has been filled" she spoke aloud. She saw Hannah in her mind's eye, surrounded by the black cloudy substance, swirling around her. She looked around her, as though someone else had spoken. 'Why the hell did I say that?' she asked herself. She shook her head, clearing the image from her mind.  
  
She knew the necklace had t go to Hannah, the only problem was that she had to find her first.  
  
-*-  
  
Done...please review! 


	6. what a battle

S-E: I'm Back!!!!! And don't you even think of adding any sarcastic comments Hannah!  
  
Hannah: Would I ever?  
  
Max: Yep ^_^  
  
S-E: Where did you come from?  
  
Max: Blame my parents S-F!  
  
Yushi: Um Maxie? Have you had any sugar today?  
  
Max: Yep ^_^  
  
Everyone but Max: -_-U  
  
S-E: Anyway, Maxie, wanna do the disclaimer?  
  
Max: Sure thing! S-E doesn't own Beyblade, because if she did it would be a very scary place! Lol! She owns all of the OCs in this fic, and that's about it. I can't think of anymore to say. Soooo...*bursts out laughing in fit on the floor*  
  
Everyone: O.o Anyway. On with the fic!  
  
-*-  
  
The day passed without actually seeing Bryan and his goonies at all, but Hannah also never reappeared. Even Yushi was starting to worry.  
  
"She's never been gone for this long before!" Yushi wailed into Johnny's shoulder. He patted her shoulder sympathetically.  
  
"Don't worry Yushi, I'm sure she's fine" he told her, attempting to stop her tears.  
  
"I know that, but what if something's happened to her, what if Bryan's done something to her!" she sobbed into the Scottish boys shoulder.  
  
"That no-brainer couldn't find me even if he removed his head from his ass!" a cold voice said, causing everyone to whirl around. Hannah was stood there with the hood of her coat pulled up over her head, shadowing her eyes completely.  
  
"Hannah!" Yushi squealed, tearing herself off Johnny and flinging herself onto the tiny hooded girl, knocking them both to the ground.  
  
"Um, Yush?" Hannah cried out in a strangled rasp.  
  
Yushi seemed to realise what she was doing because she leapt off Hannah at the speed of light. Hannah was still laid flat on her back, she propped herself up on her elbows, a smirk playing on her features.  
  
"Weren't worrying about me were you?" she teased the red and black haired girl.  
  
"Where the hell were you?! I thought something had happened to you!" Yushi practically yelled in Hannah's face.  
  
"You think I'm going to tell you where I go? And what could happen to me when no one can find me?" Hannah pulled herself to her feet, brushing the dirt off her floor length jacket.  
  
"Could you two stop the bickering for just a moment, I'm trying to watch this match!" Rei shouted over his shoulder at the two girls glaring at each other. Hannah shrugged and walked over to the edge of the dish.  
  
Raven was stood on one side of the dish, Kai on the other, both pointing their launchers into the dish.  
  
"Raven's beaten everyone she's been up against so far, except Kai" Mariah said in a hushed voice from the other side of Rei. "She's even beaten Tyson!"  
  
Hannah snorted, "Tyson's never beaten me!"  
  
"Yet!" Tyson snapped, "I haven't beaten you YET!" Hannah rolled her eyes and sighed, Tyson will never learn.  
  
Lee, who was sat with Gary and Kevin on the other side of Mariah, sighed and shook his head.  
  
"Are you ready guys?" Max called from in between the two bladers. Raven nodded and Kai just grunted gruffly. "OOOOOOOOKAY...3...2...1...LET IT RIP!" Max screamed as both opponents released their blades into the dish.  
  
"Give me all you've got Blue Boy!" Raven called over the dish, her ice blue blade slamming into Kai's dark blue one.  
  
"Right back at you Birdy!" Kai smirked, his blade grinding into hers, sparks flying everywhere. "Dranzer attack!"  
  
Kai called out his bit beast, the red phoenix rising in glory into the cloudless sky.  
  
"Oh so you wanna play? Goooo Icefire!" Raven yelled at her blade. Everyone leaned forwards, waiting for Raven's bit beast to appear for the first time.  
  
A beam of light shot out of Raven's blade and a white shape emerged. A huge white wolf with black feathered wings rose to face Dranzer in the air.  
  
Everyone gasped in awe at the howling wolf. Both bit beasts tore towards each other and collided in a blinding flash of light. A red and blue tornado swirled around the two blades, still going head on in the dish. Tongues of flame licked up the base of the whirlwind, while the top of it seemed to crystallize. It was flinging out small shards of ice and sparks.  
  
Everyone flung up their arms to shield their eyes from the light and their faces from the spitting tornado. Raven found herself being pushed backwards by the force, Kai too. With a resounding boom, the light intensified. The two bladders were repelled from the dish with such force, they were thrown through the air and when they hit the ground they skidded along the floor.  
  
The light died away and the raging wind slowed, until all that was left in the stadium was a group of ruffled kids and two battered blades lying in the dish.  
  
Raven was lying on her back about six feet away from the dish, her face and arms littered with cuts and bruises, her clothes were all ripped and torn. Her bandanna had blown off and her hair was loose and ruffled. She sat up with a groan, holding her head. She felt something wet run down her face and drip off the end of her nose. She reached up and touched her face, the fingertips coloured scarlet when she pulled her hand away. Kai had faired no better.  
  
His cargo pants and vest were all ripped, and he had a gash on his forehead, blood running down past his eye. He pulled himself into a sitting position, wincing at the pain.  
  
"What the hell happened?" Michael shouted, as he tried to smooth his hair before replacing his baseball cap. Enrique sat up next to him looking dazed. Johnny was helping Yushi up, before turning and pulling Max to his feet.  
  
"Hey Tala, what are you doing?!" Tyson yelled out. Everyone turned to see the red head who had been with Bryan in the cafeteria that morning, crouched over Hannah. He slid his arms under her and lifted the tiny girl from the ground.  
  
"I was watching the match, that was some battle, Tiny here got slammed into the tree!" Tala snapped, as if on cue, Hannah's head lolled forwards and her chin rested on her chest. She was out cold. Tala walked forwards and dumped her into Enrique's arms and walked swiftly away from the group.  
  
Tyson and Hilary rushed to Raven's side, lifting her to her feet.  
  
"Dude! That was some battle, you look pretty battered right now, can you walk?" Tyson started babbling, though Raven was hardly taking any of it in.  
  
"Who won?!" she demanded.  
  
"No one, you tied" Hilary said softly.  
  
"You mean I went through all of this and didn't win?!" she exclaimed.  
  
"What did you say?!" a voice called from across the dish.  
  
"He said we tied, Blue Boy" Raven spat over to Kai, "or you deaf or something?"  
  
"No," he stated, "I'm not, and your kidding me right?!"  
  
Raven shook her head, her black hair falling to her knees. "I kid you not" she said seriously.  
  
"Hey guys, she's waking up!" Lee called, he was stood with Enrique, who still held Hannah in his arms. Everyone crowded around the now stirring girl.  
  
Hannah moaned and fluttered her eyelids open, only to see Enrique's face barely six inches from her own. "What the hell are you doing?! Put me down!" she yelled thrashing her arms and legs around, causing the Italian boy to drop her. Everyone else moved backwards to avoid getting hit.  
  
"Ow!" Hannah was sat on the floor, rubbing her head. "What the hell are you all looking at?!" she bit out at her friends.  
  
"Are you ok Han?" Max crouched down beside the confused girl.  
  
"Yeah, a major headache, but otherwise ok" she thought for a second, "why do I have a headache?"  
  
"The force from the battle slammed you into a tree" Robert said matter-of- factly.  
  
"And Blondie over there picked me up?!" she almost screeched, "how could you let him even touch me?!"  
  
"Actually it was Tala who picked you up!" sang Kevin, almost dancing hyperactively around them.  
  
Hannah double took, "What?! Tala?! What the hell was he doing here?!"  
  
Kevin shrugged, "dunno, he was first one to notice you were out!"  
  
Hannah didn't say anything else, just seemed to sink into deep thought.  
  
~*Hannah's POV*~  
  
What the hell was Tala doing here? Oh god my head hurts! Gah, I should kill Ivanov for dumping me on Blondie Boy, ugh! A shudder ran through my body at the thought, I'll tolerate him at the best of times but he doesn't touch me! The very thought makes my skin crawl. Gah, even Ivanov knows that!  
  
~*Normal POV*~  
  
"Um guys, anyone got any bandages?" Hilary asked around, her and Tyson standing on either of Raven, practically holding her up. It looked as though she had passed out, and the blood was now dripping steadily off the end of her nose.  
  
"Give her to me"  
  
"Huh, Kai?" Tyson turned to face the blue haired boy, confused.  
  
"I said give her to me" without waiting for an answer he lifted the small bloodied girl and gathered her into his arms, stalking away from the group.  
  
"Okay, that was weird" Tyson stated, watching the crimson eyed boy walk away.  
  
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Hilary asked, leaning heavily on Tyson.  
  
"I think she'll be fine" Oliver told them.  
  
"I don't doubt that she'll be back by this afternoon" Eddy stated, twirling a basketball around on his fingertip.  
  
Yushi stood up and rubbed her hands together grinning, "so, bey-battle anyone?"  
  
-*-  
  
S-E: Sorry its sucha short chappy but I ran out of imagination. And I was kinda caught up with watching Bag Girls lol.  
  
Hannah: @.@  
  
S-E: what's up with you?  
  
Hannah: I've ended up getting hurt or attacked in the past two chapters now, what's the deal?  
  
S-E: Oh this is nothing, I have more planned for you later, mwahaha...^_^  
  
Hannah: O.o *gulps*  
  
Raven: I think she's got it in for you, Han.  
  
S-E: Don't think you're getting away from it Raven, or you, Yushi!  
  
Raven and Yushi: O.O..*runs away*  
  
S-E: Hey, get back here! *chases with inflatable hammer* Please Review! ^_^ 


	7. going to town

S-E: w00t! Am on a roll aint I? I think I'm going to do the disclaimer today ^_^. Ok, I do not own Beyblade, I do own all of my own OCs unless stated otherwise! ^_^  
  
...  
  
Okay, all of my muses seem to have disappeared at the moment so there shall be no sarcastic comments as of yet...ENJOY! ^_^  
  
-*-  
  
"Ow! Hey watch it!" Raven snapped at the matron attempting to apply antiseptic to her cuts. She was sat on the end of a bed in the school nurse's office.  
  
The matron, who was pretty pissed off by now, glared at the struggling girl. "Well it wouldn't hurt so much if you held still!"  
  
Raven stuck out her tongue at the matron and continued to struggle to get away from the 'antiseptic- bearing demon' as she had yelled at her several times.  
  
She looked desperately over at Kai, who hadn't complained at all and was all fixed up. "Little help Blue Boy?"  
  
Kai smirked and walked over to the small girl who was attempting to scratch the nurse with her nails and was snarling at her. He sat down on the bed next to her and lifted her up. She let out a yelp of surprise as he set her down on his lap, she started blushing furiously. He smirked at her before wrapping his arms around her, pinning her arms to her sides. He then crossed his legs on top of hers, weighing them down. As soon as she realised what he had done she started scowling at him.  
  
"Traitor!" she hissed through clenched teeth. The only answer she got was a raised eyebrow and a smile. She hissed as the nurse began applying antiseptic to her wounds, flinching at every sting. She started to struggle madly against Kai, desperate to break free. Kai only tightened his hold on her, she glared up at him.  
  
"There all done, wasn't that bad was it?" the nurse said in a sickly sweet voice. Raven growled. "Do you want a lollypop?" the matron asked her.  
  
"Hell yeah! I need some sort of compensation for the pain I went through! Kai, let me go!" Kai smiled down at her, and released her. Raven hadn't realised that after all of her struggling she was perched right on the edge of Kai's knees, as soon as he let go she fell to the floor with a thump. She hissed and rubbed her backside. She leapt to her feet and jumped up, bringing her fist down on Kai's head.  
  
"OW!" he spluttered, while Raven watched him with a smirk on her face.  
  
"It's no more than you deserve" she began to unwrap the strawberry lollypop the matron had just given her. Kai strode over to her and plucked it out of her fingers, holding it up above his head.  
  
"Hey! Give that back!" she screeched.  
  
Kai shook his head and grinned, "Not until you apologize"  
  
"Never!" Raven grinned, and ran at Kai, tackling him. They both toppled to the floor, and rolled along the floor. Kai was laid on his back on the floor, Raven crouched over him, hands on his shoulders, pinning him down, her knees on either side of his waist. Raven started blushing furiously at the thought of their current position, she noticed her lolly in Kai's hand and snatched it back, sticking it in her mouth.  
  
"Got it!" she gloated.  
  
"So?" Kai shrugged his shoulders before grabbing Ravens waist and lifting her as he stood up, he swung her over his shoulder, so her legs dangled over his chest. "I got you!"  
  
"Put me down! I'm warning you Blue Boy!" she yelled, pummelling his back with her fists and kicking her legs.  
  
"No chance!" he snorted, pinning her legs down with his arm. He turned and nodded at the nurse who was watching them with amusement, before stalking out of the door.  
  
"Put me down, Hiwatari! I refuse to be carted about like a sack of potatoes!" she yelled, and started to punch his back even harder.  
  
"Yeah well tough luck" he scoffed, trying to ignore the pain her punching him was causing.  
  
"Put me down or I swear-!"  
  
"You swear what?" he questioned, not bothering to hide the amusement in his voice.  
  
"I'll bite you!"  
  
"Oh will you now?"  
  
"Yep...want a demonstration?"  
  
Before he could answer, a new voice broke in on their argument.  
  
"What's that you've caught there Hiwatari?" Kai looked at the speaker out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Oh just a little bird, Ivanov, nothing you'd be interested in" Kai answered coolly.  
  
"And how would you know that I wouldn't be interested Kai? Psychic are we now?" Tala stalked around Kai and tilted Raven's head up by her chin. He pulled his hand away quickly as she attempted to clamp her teeth down on his fingers.  
  
"Don't worry Ice Blue, I'm not going to hurt you so there's no need to bite!" Tala smirked, "We weren't properly introduced earlier, so...My name is Tala, and you are?"  
  
"Raven!" she spat at him, swiping at him with one hand.  
  
"Tala, we're heading into town, you wanna come with?" Kai asked the red haired boy.  
  
Tala shrugged, "Why not? I've not got anything better to do, besides it'll give me a chance to get away from those clingy idiots" He nodded over his shoulder to a group of tall skinny blondes.  
  
Kai nodded, he hitched raven higher onto his shoulder. "You coming then wings?"  
  
Raven rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh, "Do I get a choice?"  
  
"Nope" Kai grinned and started walking down the corridor to the entrance hall.  
  
-*-  
  
"Will you stop bloody kicking me?!" Kai had had just about enough of Raven attacking him.  
  
"Well frigging well put me down then!" she yelled, "do you have any idea how degrading this is?!" Kai had refused to put her down and was still hafting her around, slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. They were now in the middle of the town centre, still fighting.  
  
Drastic times call for drastic measures she thought to herself. She pushed herself upwards with her hands and bit down on his shoulder, hard.  
  
"ARG!" Kai bellowed, dropping the raven haired girl to the floor, where she immediately took off in the opposite direction as fast as she could.  
  
"Raven!!" Kai yelled, and took off after the bandana-bearing girl. Tala hot on his heels.  
  
Raven ran through the crowded shopping centre, dodging people left, right and centre. She suddenly saw a familiar face and slowed down to say something to Hannah.  
  
"Hannah, please try to slow Kai and Tala down, I need to get away!" she said breathlessly, "Oh and by the way, this is yours!" She dropped a pendant into Hannah's hand. "Get back here Raven!" she heard behind her and tore off again, leaving the dark haired girl stood at the side looking confused. She looked down at the object in her hand, a silver chain with a tiny glass sphere connected to the end. Inside the sphere there was an inky blackness that swirled around the glass. She had never seen it before, but she knew that Raven was right, it was hers, and it just felt right. She pulled it over her head and tucked it into the front of her t- shirt.  
  
Hannah's face lit up in a smirk as she slyly stuck her foot out in front of the two speeding boys.  
  
"Oof!" Kai tripped over her outstretched foot, Tala tripping over him. Kai paid no attention and jumped to his feet and continued after the black haired girl. Tala glared at her, but the glare soon dissolved into a smirk.  
  
"What did you do that for?" he asked her, pretending to look upset.  
  
"Helping" she said as she looked down on him, her face expressionless.  
  
"Well now you shall pay, tiny!" he pulled himself to his feet and walked towards the tiny girl. She took a step backwards, a worried expression on her face.  
  
"What are you intending on doing Ivanov?" she asked, taking another step backwards.  
  
"I haven't decided yet, but you'll know when it happens" Hannah decided not to wait to find out and ran off away from the red head. Weaving her way in and out of the crowd she tried to escape the blue eyed boy who was fast catching up to her. She took a sharp right attempting to lose him. She risked a glance over her shoulder. She sighed in relief, she'd lost him. Not looking where she was going, she ran straight into someone.  
  
SLAM.  
  
Hannah felt herself flying backwards from the impact, landing on the hard concrete floor. OW. She rubbed her head and looked up to apologise to whoever she'd hit. She gulped as she saw who it was and glared at them.  
  
A certain lavender haired teen was smiling cruelly down at her, he stooped down and picked her up by the back of her shirt, bringing her up to face level.  
  
"You should watch where you're going, runt!" he spat at her.  
  
"You should have moved!" she retorted, venom dripping from her lips as she spoke.  
  
He growled at her and shook her slightly, the chains hanging of her jeans jangling.  
  
"Come on Bry, I'm bored, lets go find some chicks!" Ian whined.  
  
"Not yet, I think I'm going to play with this one for a while" he leered at her, a low growl vibrating up her throat.  
  
"Put her down Bryan!" a voice said dangerously from behind Hannah, she twisted her body to see Tala stood about six feet away from the group.  
  
"And why, Red, would I want to do that? I'm having fun!" the lavender eyed boy pouted, he then shook the girl in his grasp and grinned, as if to prove his point.  
  
"Because that, Bry, is my toy" Tala grinned at his friends, causing Bryan to raise an eyebrow.  
  
"Okay, you can play for a while" Bryan grinned, he gave Hannah one last shake before tossing her away from him like a rag doll. She landed in Tala's arms, as though she weighed nothing.  
  
"Catch you later, Red!" Bryan called over his shoulder, stalking away with Ian and Spencer close behind.  
  
Hannah squirmed in his grasp, and he quickly set her down on the floor, only for her to smack him upside his head.  
  
"Toy!?" she exploded. "I am no toy, Ivanov, and you would do well to remember that!" her eyes flashed dangerously as she glared up at the Russian boy.  
  
"What?! You should be grateful! I just saved you from Bryan's tormenting!" he snapped.  
  
"What makes you think I couldn't save myself?"  
  
"Because you are a girl!" Tala regretted these words as soon as they had left his lips. Hannah's eyes darkened to an inky black.  
  
She kicked him in his shins with her steel capped boots, forcing him onto one knee. "You sexist bastard!" she practically screamed. "I would pick your words more carefully next time, because the pain you're feeling now is nothing to what I can do!" She turned and swept away from him, her floor length jacket billowing out behind her.  
  
Tala pulled up the leg of his trousers to his knee to see a dark purple bruise swiftly forming on his shin. He poked it gingerly, wincing as pain shot up his leg.  
  
"Oh great, beat up by a chick!" he chuckled quietly to himself, before rolling the leg of his jeans back down to cover the bruise. He pulled himself to his feet and walked back into the centre to see if Kai had recaptured his little bird yet.  
  
-*-  
  
S-E: w00t! A little Hannah/Tala friction there!  
  
Hannah: *chuckles* revenge is sweet!  
  
S-E: where did you guys go earlier?  
  
Yushi: we went to see Tyson, you hit him pretty hard with that hammer of yours!  
  
Tyson: @.@  
  
S-E: Hehe...oops  
  
Raven: Don't you have something to say instead of standing there giggling?  
  
S-E: Huh? Oh yeah! Review please! ^_^ 


	8. shopping

S-E: Hihi again people! *sings*  
  
Hannah: At least she's got good taste in music  
  
S-E: ^_^ Thanks!  
  
Hannah: Don't mention it  
  
S-E: Anywho, I can't actually think of anything to say...SQUISHIE!  
  
Raven: O.o there's a first.  
  
S-E: Hey...that's mean!  
  
Yushi: So? S-E doesn't own Beyblade, all she owns are her own Ocs unless stated otherwise.  
  
S-E: I didn't ask you to do that  
  
Yushi: I know ^_^  
  
S-E: On with the fic! BTW...I got my lazy butt movin to update this faster just for you, KAI/REI! Seeing as you were practically begging. Lol ^_^  
  
-*-  
  
"Raven! You are so gunna pay!" she could hear Kai yelling at her, even though she had picked up speed and was still quite far ahead of him. Man, could he yell!  
  
She giggled and turned around a corner, next to the a large fountain in the middle of the centre, only to slam straight into a muscled chest. She glanced up to see a certain crimson eyed boy smirking down at her.  
  
"How the fuck did you do that?!" she stared at him as though he'd grown two heads.  
  
"Magic" he said simply, "now apologise"  
  
"What the hell for?!"  
  
He pulled the neck of his shirt back to reveal an ugly red bite mark on his shoulder.  
  
"That's what"  
  
Raven smiled and laughed sheepishly, he moved forwards and put his hands on the wall on either side of her shoulders, effectively cornering her. She suddenly stuck her lollypop in his mouth and ducked under his arms. He stuck his foot out, tripping her over.  
  
Splash! Into the fountain she went head first. She surfaced spluttering and coughing, Kai was in a fit of laughter at the side of the fountain. Kinda out of character for him. He soon stopped laughing and stood up straight, the corners of his mouth twitching as he tried not to start laughing again.  
  
"You're all wet" he said simply, stating the obvious. Rolling the strawberry lollypop around in his fingers, he popped it back into his mouth. She glared up at him.  
  
"And we all know who's fault that is, don't we Blue Boy?!" she snapped, holding out a hand for Kai to help her out of the cold water. "And that's mine" she added pointing to the lollypop.  
  
Kai closed his eyes and shook his head, "Not anymore, by shoving it in my mouth in an attempt to escape, you technically gave it to me"  
  
"Ahh, but I never said you could have it"  
  
"You never said I couldn't either" Kai smirked down at her, knowing too well that he had won the argument.  
  
"Why are we arguing over a lollypop?"  
  
Kai shrugged, "You started it"  
  
"Have you any idea how childish that sounds, Blue Boy?! And are you going to help me out or not?!"  
  
"No" he smirked down at her, rolling the lollypop along his tongue, "you got yourself in there, you get yourself out"  
  
"Bastard" she muttered under her breath, and grabbed the side of the fountain to pull herself up. The sides were higher than she had first thought, she sighed and attempted to pull herself over the wall surrounding the fountain. She hadn't got a very good grip and felt herself sliding backwards until she was yanked out by the back of her shirt, and dumped unceremoniously onto the floor.  
  
She swept her soaking wet hair back from her face and glowered up at him. "Thanks!" she shot at him, sarcasm dripping from her lips.  
  
"Now what Einstein?"  
  
"We get you some new clothes you can't walk around in torn and soaked clothes all day"  
  
"Your clothes aint looking too great at the moment either!"  
  
Kai glanced down at his tight top and cargo pants, now covered in rips, tears and scuffs.  
  
"I have more clothes back at Tolly, you don't!"  
  
"Lets go then!" she sprang to her feet, grabbing hold of Kai's hand and dragging him towards the nearest clothes shop, a shop called Passion.  
  
He started to struggle against her, man she had a grip of iron! "I'm not going in there!" he yelped.  
  
"And why not?" Raven looked at him questioningly.  
  
"Because it's a girl's shop!" he near shouted  
  
"Point?"  
  
"Guys don't go in girl's shops, I've never been in one in my entire life!"  
  
"There's a first time for everything" she tightened her grip and dragged him towards the shop, ignoring his threats.  
  
She hauled him through the doors and started to look around te clothes racks, not once letting go of Kai's hand. "You know what Kai, I think I've remembered something!" she said cheerfully.  
  
"And what's that, Wings?" he sighed, bored as hell.  
  
"The fact that I love shopping!" Kai sweatdropped.  
  
"You'd love Mariah then, she's much better at this sort of thing than me, come on, let's go find her!" Kai tried to exit the shop but was yanked back by his arm.  
  
"Oh you aren't escaping that easily, besides, I want your opinion on these!" she grinned at him, holding up a pile of clothes in her arms.  
  
"Fine! Just be quick about it, so we can get out of here!" she beamed up at him and forced him into a seat next to the changing rooms, she ran inside, quickly shutting herself in a cubicle to change.  
  
'How do I get myself into these things?' he asked himself.  
  
.:Because you're a baka:.  
  
'oh great, you again'  
  
.:You love me really:. If this little voice had a face, Kai was sure it would be beaming like an idiot.  
  
'I sure as hell don't, you annoy me'  
  
.:I live to annoy you:.  
  
'Technically, you aren't alive so I don't know how you worked that one out'  
  
.:Point?:.  
  
'Shut up'  
  
.:Why?:. Kai silently growled.  
  
"You okay, Blue Boy?" Kai realised he had growled out loud and was glaring at the wall as if trying to make it explode. He snapped his head around to see Raven leaning against the door frame of the cubicle.  
  
~*Kai's POV*~  
  
'Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush.' I thought frantically, but, do you know what I did? I blushed. My own body betrayed me! Traitor!  
  
~*Normal POV*~  
  
Raven was wearing a pair of tight black cycle shorts, under a hot pink tartan mini skirt. There was a pair of dark denim jeans legs, cut off at the thighs, held up by two black straps, hooked onto a wide studded black belt slung around her hips. The pant legs hid her feet completely and were frayed at the bottoms. She had a slash neck black top on, cut off just above her slim waist, its sleeves covering her hands up to her knuckles, with a hole in the sleeve for the thumb to poke out. The front of the top said 'blah blah blah...whatever' (A/N: I have that top! *jumps up and down excitedly*). Her sleek shiny hair cascaded over her shoulders like a black waterfall, the ice blue bandanna wrapped around her head.  
  
'God she's beautiful!' Kai shook his head, as though he could toss the notion from his head by force. "I'm fine" he said gruffly, turning away so she wouldn't see his flushed face.  
  
"Ok," she said uncertainly, "anyway, what do you think?"  
  
"Very nice, can but won't you need more than that, winter is coming you know" he said, glancing around him and not liking the looks he was getting from the other girls in the shop.  
  
"Words from the mouth of he-who-wears-a-sleeveless, and was that a compliment, Blue Boy?"  
  
He ignored her question, and dragged her to the checkouts. After they had paid for her new clothes they hastily exited the shop. Kai had never been so glad to get out of one place in his life.  
  
"Um, thanks Kai" Raven said nervously, fidgeting with her sleeve.  
  
"Don't mention it, now there's just one more thing we need to get"  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"A school uniform!"  
  
~*~ 10 minute later~*~  
  
"I'm not wearing this!" Raven was stood on a stool in the middle of a shop, the seamstress proceeding to poke her with a pin every time she moved, earning a hiss from the tiny girl. "And why are we getting one custom made?"  
  
"Cuz they don't make the uniforms small enough to fit you titch"  
  
Raven glared at him, arms folded across her chest. She was wearing a short pleated black skirt, a white shirt, fitted around her waist and chest, a smart black blazer fitting snugly over it. The red and blue school tie hung around her neck. White knee length socks pulled up her legs, and a pair of black school shoes. "How come Hannah's got one then?!"  
  
"How do you think she got hers? She had to get it made, just like you!" Kai smirked, "besides, you have to wear this"  
  
"What?!" Raven gritted out, "I'm not even part of the frigging school!"  
  
"Ah but that's where you are wrong, Wings, you are now an official student of Toll Bar Business and Enterprise Boarding School, as of this morning" he replied smugly.  
  
"What the- How did you- Why did you?!" she spluttered, Kai simply tapped the side of his nose mysteriously and grinned.  
  
"This is for you" he tossed a small bag towards her, she jumped down off her stool and sat down on it, raving through the contents of the bag. There were several text books, a week planner, and a timetable. She also had a key to her new dorm and the name of her room mates. She sighed in relief when she saw who she was with. Yushi, Mariah, Hannah, Emily and Hillary.  
  
"Yeh ok I'm done now, stop frigging poking me with the pins!" she exploded at the seamstress. "Can we please go back now?" she complained.  
  
Kai stood up and held the door open, he smirked at her, "ladies first"  
  
-*-  
  
S-E: I'm Done! *dies* @.@  
  
Raven: she took her time on that one...  
  
Rei: respect the fact that writers block hit her right in the middle of this chapter though.  
  
Yushi: Fair do's  
  
Hannah: *collapses onto couch with a contented sigh and a smile*  
  
Raven: What's with you?  
  
Hannah: Nothing, I'm just glad she managed to write a chapter without me getting beat up or hurt or pissed off by the red head Russian.  
  
Tala: *walking into room* Somebody mention my name?  
  
Hannah: No! Why are you here?  
  
Tala: Why, because you are here of course! *stupid grin*  
  
Hannah: Smarmy bastard! *stalks out of room, Tala follows*  
  
Raven: Please review ^__^ 


	9. decorating the dorm

S-E: Kai's a bit of a player isn't he? Anyway, more Hannah/Tala goodness in this chapter, well when I say goodness I mean...ah you'll have to wait and see! ^__^  
  
Hannah: Oh joy...what does she mean? ¬_¬  
  
S-E: I think Bryan should do the disclaimer for me today ^__^  
  
Everyone: O.O  
  
Bryan: ...  
  
S-E: Bryan?  
  
Bryan: ...  
  
S-E: DO IT...do you want me to get nasty? *bares teeth revealing pointy fangs*  
  
Raven: *gulps* how's she been hiding those?  
  
Everyone: *too shocked to answer*  
  
Bryan: Soulful-Eyes owns nothing other than her OCs!  
  
Yushi: o.O that was brief!  
  
S-E: ^__^ Good Bryan! *pats Bryan on head*  
  
Bryan: *growls*  
  
S-E: *growls louder*  
  
Yushi: Ok...I can see this could take a while so...ENJOY THE FIC! ^____^  
  
Guess wot guys, I thought I had deleted this so I started agen but then I loaded my floppy disk up at school and it turns out it had saved onto that instead of my hard drive...^_^; hehe oops! -*-  
  
"So Raven...looks like you are our new room mate!" Mariah squealed, slinging one arm around Raven's shoulders. "Loving your new outfit by the way  
  
"Looks like! And thanks" Raven grinned, she had been pounced on by Mariah and Yushi as soon as she had walked into her new dorm room.  
  
"This calls for a SLEEPOVER!" Yushi yelled, and ran a crimson bed, and began jumping up and down on it excitedly. The bed creaked dangerously and Mariah cringed.  
  
"You're gunna break that dam thing if you keep doing that!" Mariah scolded the over-excited girl. Yushi immediately stopped bouncing and dropped down to sit cross-legged on the crimson covers, her hands in her lap.  
  
Emily burst into the room at that moment, spilling everything in her arms onto a burnt orange coloured bed, she dropped down onto her bed like a stone.  
  
"Hey Ems, we're having a sleepover!" Yushi squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly, "to officially welcome Raven to the dorm!"  
  
"Huh? Oh hi there Raven, I was wondering whether we'd get you, I'm glad we did!" Emily looked at her excitedly, "so what movie are we planning on watching?" she looked over at Mariah.  
  
"BRING IT ON!" yelled Yushi, "I think we are all decided" Mariah said decisively.  
  
"Oh what a shame I won't be here to see it" a voice sounded from seemingly nowhere. Raven looked around her until her eyes rested on a black bed in the darkest corner of the room. The walls around the bed had been covered with black pieces of paper, smudged with colours. On first glance you wouldn't even have seen the small girl huddled in the corner of the bed.  
  
On the desk next to the bed, several pot of paint were scattered with paintbrushes and scraps of sandpaper.  
  
Hannah was dressed totally in black, as always, she blended in with the walls. Her head hung forwards, her dark hair covering her face.  
  
"Han?" Yushi started,  
  
"Ah leave her, she's still sulking over the face-off with Tala in town earlier" Emily giggled, "he's gonna have one hell of a shiner in the morning!"  
  
"He deserved it; he's a sexist man slut! And a suicidal one at that if he thinks he can mess around with me!" The dark haired teen shot out, lifting her head up to smirk at her friends.  
  
"I take it this bed is mine" Raven said softly looking over to the only bed in the room not surrounded by personal belongings, posters and clothes.  
  
"Yep, that would be yours!" Mariah chirped.  
  
Raven walked over to it and sat down on the ice blue silk covers.  
  
"My favourite colour" she grinned at her new friends, "but it still looks a bit boring, wanna help me...personalise...it?" she grinned at her friends who all nodded enthusiastically, except Hannah, who was sketching something in a note pad.  
  
"Don't suppose you guys have any spare posters?"  
  
"Hell yeah!" cried Emily, "we can only fit so many on the walls!"  
  
"Nice!" said Raven as she watched the other girls rave underneath their beds for posters.  
  
"Here" she looked up to see the gothic girl stood above her, holding out a piece of paper to her, "decoration". When tHannah was stood up you could see that he clothes were covered in paint, not so completely black now.  
  
Raven took the paper from her hands and looked at it, there on the page was a pencil drawing of a raven, so very detailed, it was beautiful.  
  
"How long have you been working on this?" Raven looked up at her in awe.  
  
Hannah shrugged, "bout five minutes, it's only a sketch, nothing much"  
  
Raven jaw dropped open, "this is amazing Hannah, thanks!"  
  
"Think of it as a present in return for the necklace, it's beautiful, strange I'll give you that, but beautiful all the same. And I know that it belongs to me, it feels right" she pulled the pendant out from under her black top and gazed at it intently. At her touch the inky substance seemed to swirl and react, almost glow an eerie darkness, like fog.  
  
"Hey Han, how's the masterpiece coming?" Emily nodded her head towards the covered up walls.  
  
"Well enough, its almost finished"  
  
"No chance of getting a sneak preview then?" Yushi grinned at her friend. She sighed when she saw the smaller girl shake her head.  
  
"Not yet"  
  
"Anyway, Raven how you like the school so far?" Mariah asked.  
  
"Its alright I guess, but then I haven't actually had any lessons yet, have I?" she grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Lets see your timetable, you might be in our lessons!" Emily strode over and started to rave through the bag that Kai had given her, she let out a triumphant sound when she pulled the piece of paper from the bag.  
  
"Hurray, you're in most of our lessons" she cheered, "we are all in different sets for ICT but it looks like you're in with Han! All we do is email each other all lesson, do you have an email address?"  
  
"Um," Raven started, "I don't think so, hey can you guys help me set one up!"  
  
"Sure we can!" Mariah strode over the computer at her desk, shaking the mouse to bring the desktop back to life. She loaded up hotmail and started to create a new account, Raven started to leaf through the school planner that was in the bag.  
  
"Yo Raven, what's your surname?" Yushi called from by the computer.  
  
"Bacari" she replied without hesitation. She almost double took when she realised a memory had resurfaced in her brain. She did a mental victory dance in her mind. She got up swiftly from the bed and walked over to the computer.  
  
"What you want your addy to be?" Mariah asked her.  
  
"Midnight Raven" she grinned widely at her new friends.  
  
"There ya go, sorted, you are now midnight_raven_2k@hotmail.com!" Mariah beamed up at her from the chair.  
  
"Nice one Mariah!" Raven grinned at the pink haired girl.  
  
"Call me Riah" she walked over to a bed with covers of shocking pink and threw herself onto it, propping her head up with her hands. "Only the teachers call me Mariah"  
  
"Okies!"  
  
"So, what's so important you're gunna miss our movie sensation, eh Hanhan?"  
  
The girl in question winced at the pet name, "out" she said gruffly, and set about securing the lids on her paints.  
  
"Could you be more specific?" Emily asked her sarcastically.  
  
Hannah shook her head and stowed the paints away in a cupboard on her desk. She pulled the floor length black fitted jacket from the foot of her bed and put it on as she walked towards the door, "I shouldn't think you'd be interested" she smirked and left the room.  
  
"I found it!" Yushi's yell broke the silence, "um, guys, help! I'm stuck!" she yelled, unable to get out from under her bed, having caught her backpack on the underneath.  
  
Everyone sweatdropped, Raven walked over and grabbed Yushi's waving ankles and pulled. The distressed girl remained stuck and Raven frowned, she tugged on the limbs hard and suddenly she and Yushi were flying across the room, only to land in a heap by Raven's bed.  
  
"Ow, that was a bad idea" Raven rubbed her head where she'd hit it on the bed, "what was it you found that was so important?!"  
  
"This!" she held up a System of a Down poster, "I noticed your shirt earlier and thought you might like it!" she grinned at the black haired girl.  
  
"Thanks!"  
  
"It's ok, besides this is the only lass's dorm in the school you'll see posters like this" Yushi said.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"We are the only ones with decent music sense, every other girl in this school listens to the boy bands and pop music" Mariah said matter-of- factly, tacking an Evanescence poster up on the wall.  
  
"Oh" was all Raven could muster  
  
"Well, we're different" Emily mused.  
  
"Yep, we don't associate ourselves with the mini-skirt wearing, man-mad, sluts of the century that happen to be our classmates" Yushi smiled at her friends.  
  
"Too right, and apparently, according to Hannah you also have man-sluts here" Raven said, unloading her shopping bags onto her bed and raving through them, hanging them up in the empty wardrobe.  
  
"Oh yeh, plenty of those" Riah nodded, raving through Raven's new clothes and helping her hang them up.  
  
"Music?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
Yushi walked over to the hi-fi on her desk and pressed play, Queens of the Stone Age's No One Knows blasted out of the speakers.  
  
"Can you tell me which ones I have to watch out for?" Raven asked the girls who were now all sat on or around her bed.  
  
Emily snorted "That's easy, all of them"  
  
"I meant seriously!"  
  
"So did I, well except for Max, Tyson, Gary, Kevin and Oliver, everyone else is your average player" Emily said meaningfully.  
  
"Everyone?"  
  
"Yup" Yushi piped, "Even your Blue Boy"  
  
Raven choked on the coke she was halfway through swallowing, Riah patted her back. "Kai's a player!?" she spluttered after a few moments.  
  
"Well duh!" Yushi, "Why do you think he's so popular?"  
  
Before Raven could answer, Yushi had jumped up on the bed and was bouncing around madly to the music.  
  
"I love this song!" she cried, pulling Riah, Emily and Raven up onto the bed.  
  
They all burst out singing and all did crude air guitars.  
  
"I want you to want me I need you to need me I'd love you to love me I'm begging you to beg me!"  
  
Emily started giggling like crazy and fell off the bed, she lay on her back on the floor chuckling to herself. She gave a gasp as Riah fell across her stomach then both broke down into a fit of giggles. Raven and Yushi carried on singing.  
  
"Didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'?  
  
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'?  
  
Feelin' all alone without a friend, you know you feel like dyin'.  
  
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'?"  
  
Eventually they could sing no more and collapsed onto the floor in a fit of giggles.  
  
"Are we interrupting anything?" came a voice from the doorway.  
  
The four girls turned their heads towards the intruder to see Kai, Max, Tyson, Johnny and Tala, stood in the doorway.  
  
Three of the girls stopped laughing, except Yushi, who was still struggling to breathe through laughing so much. Max pulled a bottle of water from his backpack and offered it to the choking girl.  
  
"You're so lucky Hil aint here to see you in our room, she'd go ballistic!" Emily stated.  
  
"Why would she do that?" Tyson asked confused.  
  
"Cuz she believes that a girl's room is 'private'" Riah said the last word with disdain. Placing her hands on her hips she looked at her five boys, "So what brings you to our dorm, and why did you bring blood red with you?" she nodded her head towards Tala.  
  
"Me, oh don't worry yourself Miss Pink," he smiled at Riah, "I jus wanted to know if you've seen my new toy, is she around?" he grinned evily.  
  
"And what would you be wanting with her, hear she gave you quite a beating" Emily said, arching one eyebrow at the turquoise eyed boy.  
  
"You heard wrong, and I want to apologise for earlier, what?" he looked at the blank faces around him with annoyance, "What?!"  
  
"The great Tala apologising?" Johnny mused, "wow"  
  
"Yeah well she's not here so your apology will just have to wait"  
  
"In that case, I'll go, I don't want in on your little mothers meeting you're hosting, see ya round!" he called over his shoulder whilst exiting the room. Leaving many bewildered teens. Well all except Raven that is.  
  
"You know what Raven, I think you've done pretty well for your first day" Kai stated.  
  
"And why's that Blue Boy?"  
  
"Well, you've made enemies, had Hannah stand up for you, been to the school nurse, fallen in the fountain, and have just witnessed Tala Ivanov say he's going to apologise" He stated, "I'd say you've done very well indeed"  
  
"From the way you make it sound, I'd have to agree" Raven nodded, she glanced around the room at her friends who were all still in total shock from what they had just seen.  
  
-*-  
  
S-E: I'm done! Im soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry I haven't updated sooner I've been really busy,  
  
Yushi: *cough* lazy *cough*  
  
S-E: ¬_¬ shut up  
  
Hannah: where was the Tala/Hannah 'goodness'...not that I care or anything...*shifty eyes*  
  
S-E: I'm gunna put it in the next chapter , I kinda got a little bit in, in a way...  
  
Kai: Hn  
  
Raven: What are you doing here?  
  
Kai: I go where I please when I please  
  
Yushi and Raven: ¬_¬;  
  
S-E: So Hannah, where's your favourite Russian?  
  
Hannah: Don't know don't care  
  
Tala: Hihi ^___^ 


	10. between us

S-E: Hihi! I'm back again  
  
Kai: Oh what fun!  
  
S-E: What's with you?  
  
Kai: This means that I get to go through another chapter being totally out of character!  
  
S-E: So? My fic, my storyline, my rules. *pokes tongue out at Kai*  
  
Kai: I wouldn't do that, if you want to keep your tongue! *smirks evilly*  
  
S-E: *pulls tongue back into mouth* hehe *gulps*  
  
Disclaimer: S-E doesn't own Beyblade, but she does own her OCs Raven, Hannah and Yushi. She doesn't own Toll Bar Business and Enterprise School either, cuz that is the school she goes to except hers isn't a boarding school.  
  
Raven: Was it just me or did the disclaimer jus speak for itself?  
  
Yushi: It wasn't just you  
  
Disclaimer: *giggles madly and runs out of room*  
  
Tala: Well that was...weird  
  
S-E: Like I said, my fic, my rules! ^___^...Tala, what are you even doing here, Hannah aint here!  
  
Tala: no I'm just here to do this...on with the fic! ^_____^  
  
Everyone: -_-;  
  
-*-  
  
Hannah walked swiftly through the forest, until she came to her favourite place. The huge oak tree that stood near the centre of the forest, the deepest, darkest part. No one knew to come here, that she came here, it was like her haven. Her place.  
  
She climbed up the tree using the foot holds that had been worn into the bark by her feet, climbing it so many times, and sat on a thick branch. She sighed contently, and leaned her back against the tree, closing her eyes, revelling in the solitude.  
  
"So this is where you hide" an amused voice said from below her, she groaned and opened one eye slowly. She knew that voice.  
  
She looked down to see a familiar pair of sexy turquoise eyes gazing back at her. Wait did she just call his eyes sexy? What's wrong with her?! No way in hell did he have sexy eyes! Well you may as well have sexy eyes to go with such a drool-worthy body. Did she really just say that, 'sexy' was definitely not in her list of insults for the red haired Russian!  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
He grinned at her, "I just came to apologise for yesterday, so...I apologise for yesterday"  
  
Her mouth dropped open, "What is this? Did I just hear Wonder Boy say he was sorry? It wasn't much of an apology but it doesn't make it any less amazing" she said slowly, her voice laced with sarcasm.  
  
"Wonder Boy?" he raised one eyebrow suggestively.  
  
"Well that's it, you've apologised, now you can leave" she pointed in the direction of the school.  
  
"Not quite yet, there's something I want from you" he smirked up at her, "but you'll have to come down here to give it to me"  
  
"I'm sure I can give you it from up here, depends on what it is though" she looked warily down on him.  
  
"An apology"  
  
"What the hell for?!" she exploded, jumping down from the tree to stand directly in front of him, glaring defiantly up at him.  
  
"Got you down" he grinned  
  
She scowled and looked away, "I'm not apologising" she muttered  
  
"You don't even know what for yet"  
  
"I'm still not apologising"  
  
"What not even for giving me this" he bent down and pulled up his trouser leg to reveal a huge black bruise, Hannah glanced down at it feeling quite proud of herself.  
  
"It's not like you didn't deserve it" she turned her back on him, arms folded across her chest.  
  
"What? For rescuing you from Bryan?!"  
  
"I didn't ask for your help!" she whipped around and snarled at him, "I could've rescued myself!"  
  
"How!?"  
  
"I have my ways" she muttered darkly.  
  
"You still owe me an apology"  
  
"Bite me!"  
  
"If you insist" he grinned at her, taking a step forward, causing her to take one back. She swept her eyes over his body, the murky brown orbs lingering for a second on his lips before swinging up to meet his eyes again.  
  
"See something you like?"  
  
"No, I'm just thinking of where I should attack you that it will hurt you the most"  
  
"If that attack would be returning my bite then I wouldn't be complaining"  
  
"Fuck off, Ivanov!"  
  
"I'm not leaving until I get my apology" he took another step forward  
  
"Then you'll be here a long time!"  
  
"Fine by me!" she took another step backwards as he advanced on her, but stopped as her back hit the trunk of the tree. He put his hands on the tree on either side of her, blocking any escape. She hissed at him.  
  
"Now, now, that's not very nice" he moved his body closer, effectively pinning her to the tree. Her eyes widened and her mind was screaming at her. 'He's too close, push him away!!!' but she did nothing, too stunned to move, no one had ever been that close to her, she squirmed uncomfortably.  
  
Tala leaned down until his face was inches from hers, "I'm waiting" he whispered, she could feel his hot breath on her face. He smelled gorgeous, she subconsciously thought to herself , 'Ooh bad thoughts, bad thoughts!' she scolded her traitor of a mind. Without any warning he swooped down and captured her lips with his own. Tasting her. His hands slid down the tree to rest on her hips, pulling her towards him, deepening the kiss.  
  
He bit down on her bottom lip, making her gasp. He took this opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth, waging war with Hannah's own. 'She tastes sweet' Tala's mind registered dumbly.  
  
Hannah had never felt this way before, he made her feel, warm inside, he had pushed the numbness aside, the numbness that had resided in her for so long. After experiencing this new sensation, she didn't want the emptiness back!  
  
Hannah was too shocked to resist, 'Omg! Omg! Omg! Omg!' her mind repeated over and over again, after what seemed an eternity of wonderful bliss, Tala broke off the kiss, pulling his head back from hers with a smile. She inwardly reeled from the separation and a strange feeling of disappointment filled her. He brushed a few strands of hair away from her face and placed one hand on her cheek.  
  
"You've no idea how long I've wanted to do that" he sighed contently. He looked down on her, the cold emotionless mask she usually wore was gone and she looked almost...happy. He had seen a new side to her, that possibly no one had ever seen before. She didn't know whether to slap him or pull him down for another kiss.  
  
"Enlighten me" she said sarcastically  
  
"Since the day I met you"  
  
"What's been stopping you?" she asked him, flicking a strand of long dark hair out of her eyes.  
  
"You have" he looked thoughtful for a second before the grin returned to his face, "Oh and by the way, apology accepted"  
  
She narrowed her now darkened eyes at him, the mask now firmly back in place, the dreaded numbness came rushing back in, filling her with nothing. She planted her hands on his chest and pushed him back.  
  
"Was that all you came here for?!" she choked out, "Was that all you wanted?!"  
  
"No I-" he began but Hannah cut him off with an angry storm of words.  
  
"I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am not your...toy, Tala! I'm not some thing that you can use and throw away when you get bored with it like a useless rag-doll!" her eyes stung with unshed tears, blurring her vision, she would not let him see her cry. She turned and walked away from him, into the darkness of the forest.  
  
She was stopped by Tala laying one hand on her shoulder, she half turned to see his face, a concerned expression on his features.  
  
"Let me go you thief" she said quietly, turning her face away so he would not see her face.  
  
"Thief?" confusion flitted across his perfect features.  
  
"Yes, thief," she turned to face him, he could see that her eyes shimmered with tears that she refused to let fall. "That was my first kiss, and you stole it, now I'll never get it back"  
  
"I'm sorry, I thought you would like it" this made her realise, she had liked it. She had always been waiting for someone to break the barrier that she had built around herself, she just never expected it to be one Tala Ivanov to do it.  
  
"I-I did" she stuttered, she felt torn up inside, "I do, and I want more" she said defiantly. She walked back to Tala and stared up into his face.  
  
"Then I'll be happy to comply" he said with a wolfish grin. He leaned down but stopped as she spoke in soft tones  
  
"But know this, if you screw me around, your life will not be worth living" she said quietly, he closed his eyes and nodded.  
  
She reached up and tangled her hand in his hair, pulling him down to meet her lips in a passionate lock, she pulled away, earning a grunt of dismay from the red head. But he soon busied himself with leaving a trail of kisses down her throat.  
  
"Tala, this stays between us"  
  
He brought his head up to gaze into her eyes, turquoise on deep brown. "Between us" he repeated, before attacking her mouth once again.  
  
"Promise?" she murmured against his lips.  
  
"Promise"  
  
-*-  
  
S-E: Waah! This is my first ever fluff thing, don't hurt me! Gah I can't write scenes like this!  
  
Hannah: I'd say you did pretty good  
  
S-E: You would!  
  
Tala: *evil smirk*  
  
Tala and Hannah start kissing again, S-E hears footsteps.  
  
S-E: stop it, you'll wreck my storyline if they find out! *shoves Hannah and Tala in cupboard*  
  
*Everyone else walks in*  
  
Raven: Um S-E, what you doing?  
  
S-E: *is standing in front of cupboard* nothing at all, now, please leave I need to do something.  
  
Yushi: But-  
  
*S-E shoves them all out of the room* 


	11. friend or foe?

S-E: I'm sorry, the last chapter was so short, so what did ya think of the Tala/Hannah thing in there? Well hopefully a few more elements shall be given out in this chapter because hey, I wanna start the excitement already!!!  
  
Disclamier: S-E only owns the OCs.  
  
S-E: I'm sorry but there are no muses for me to argue with at the moment, they are all off somewhere...being busy...I think you know what two of them are doing don't you?  
  
S-E: On with the fic!  
  
-*-  
  
The next morning Emily awoke to a soft prodding, she cracked one eye open to see the lights on above her head, she hissed and quickly closed her eyes again, yanking the covers over her head.  
  
"What's with you?" an annoyed voice sounded above her. Suddenly she felt her duvet being ripped away from her. She shrieked and bolted up in her bed, blinded by the sudden light. There was a chinking sound and the lights flickered and then plunged the room into darkness. Emily could then open her eyes in the comforting darkness.  
  
"Um what was that?" she asked cautiously.  
  
"You shorted the fuses out" a voice said matter-of-factly from the other side of the room.  
  
"Oh...wait I did? How did I do it?" she asked confused. She squinted in the dark to make out Raven sat on her bed watching her.  
  
"You'll see what I mean, just close your eyes and think for the light to come back on" she sighed.  
  
"How's that gunna work?" Emily said in disbelief, "That's just stupid!"  
  
"Then do it and prove me wrong" Raven shot back.  
  
"I will!" she closed her eyes and wished for the light to come back on. She opened her eyes and blinked in surprise to see the room will with light.  
  
"T-they must have fixed the fuses or something" she stammered, kinda freaked out by what had just happened. She closed her eyes and turned the lights back off. She almost fell off her bed in shock when she realised it was her that was doing it.  
  
"Hey this is fun, freaky but fun!" she chirped, turning the lights on and off until Riah moaned from under her covers about someone leaving the light switched alone.  
  
"How did you know about this?" she walked over to Raven and sat down beside her on the bed.  
  
"You have the power of electricity" she stated, "I couldn't sleep last night and then you started talking in your sleep, it made me realise. And then I found this on my desk" she held out her hand, there in the palm was another necklace like Raven's own. In the centre of the glass orb there was a miniature lightning bolt.  
  
"What was I doing in my sleep?" Emily tentatively took it from her hand and stared at it for a moment, "it's pretty" she muttered, holding it back out to the black haired girl.  
  
"It's yours! Oh you were muttering random things, your hair was standing up on end from static shock, oh and you managed to turn you stereo on" Raven beamed at the confused looking girl.  
  
"Wow...tI don't think I've ever done any of that stuff before...thanks for the necklace!" Emily cried, looping the pendant around her neck and enveloping the smaller girl in a hug.  
  
"Um, Ems...I can't breathe" Raven rasped, Emily quickly let go and apologised.  
  
"Do you have an element?" the orange haired teen asked.  
  
"I do, ice" Raven nodded, "watch" she held out her hand and Emily watched in amazement as water seemed to run from nowhere down Raven's long fingers, forming into a pool in her palm. Raven clenched her fist around the liquid and her hand glowed a soft white light, the glow died away and she slowly opened her hand to reveal a small block of ice with sharp jagged edges. Emily's eyes grew wide as Raven dropped the freezing object into her palm.  
  
"Uh...what day is it?" a voice groaned from the corner, Raven and Emily turned their heads to see a lump moving around under the pale green covers of the bed in the opposite corner to Hannah. The covers slid away to reveal a disgruntled looking Hilary in pale pink bed shorts and vest top.  
  
"Sunday, Hil" Emily sighed, "so you don't need to worry, you haven't overslept"  
  
"Oh good" the brunette murmured, snuggling back down into her covers.  
  
Suddenly, the bathroom door crashed open and a startled Yushi fell through it, landing in a heap on the floor. "Ok...ow!" she wailed.  
  
"What the-" a head of tousled pink hair appeared over the top of the covers as Riah sat up in shock. She scrambled out of her bed and across to the wailing girl, soothing her cries of pain. She looked very confused when Yushi broke down into a fit of giggles.  
  
"Bah, you're too serious Riah, I only whacked my foot on the door frame" the laughing girl choked out in gasps.  
  
"I'll show you how serious I am you fiend!" Riah cried in mock anger, she seized a pillow from her bed and held it out in front of her like a sword, "I challenge you to a duel!" she announced, her head held up high!  
  
"Challenge accepted" Yushi grinned, grabbing a scarlet pillow off her bed, and hit Riah over the head with it. The pink haired girl gasped and hit back, they were yelling and giggling like crazy while swinging the make shift swords. Suddenly there was a ripping sound and the red pillow exploded into a huge cloud of white feathers.  
  
"Wheee! It's snowing!" Yushi squealed, twirling around in the falling feathers, she grabbed Riah's hands and spun her around with her. Raven and Emily exchanged a glance and charged head first into the impending whiteness with a yell like a battle cry. All of them collapsed into a fit of laughter. They all danced and spun in the soft fall of feathers.  
  
"Do I even want to know what happened?" Came a voice from the doorway. They peered through the falling feathers to see a certain red haired boy with a purple bandanna stood leaning against the door frame, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.  
  
"Johnny!" Yushi ran over to the boy and grabbed his hand, trying to pull him into the mess. "Come dance!" she cried, tugging on his arm.  
  
"Um, no thanks Yush, but another time definitely" he grinned at the smaller girl who let go and wandered back into the now thinned cloud of floating feathers.  
  
He cast a glance over the four girls stood in their pyjamas in middle of the room, white feathers stuck in their hair and on their bed clothes. He raised one eyebrow quizzically.  
  
"Don't ask" stated Mariah, "Anyway, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Well I-" Johnny was cut off as a blur of blonde streaked past him and into the room.  
  
"FEATHERS!!!!!!!!" the blur yelled, running around the four girls in circles, delighting in the drifting feathers.  
  
"Calm down Maxie, bloody hell!" Hilary yelled from her bed, she looked quite small, propped up in her bed, surrounded by huge pink and green cushions.  
  
The blur slowed to reveal a bright eyed Max Tate grinning ecstatically at everyone.  
  
A stray feather chose this moment to land on Emily's nose, making her sneeze and fall backwards, she squeezed her eyes shut and waited to hit the floor with a bump, but she didn't. She landed on something soft and warm, she slowly opened one eye to see Max grinning down at her.  
  
"Bless you" he smiled, "You ok?" she couldn't speak, so she just nodded, she wondered if anyone had ever told him how intense his eyes were.  
  
"A-n-y-way...we just wanted to know if you were interested in the kayaking that's going on at the lake??" Johnny sighed from the door.  
  
"Sure, just give us about fifteen minutes and we'll be down" Raven said loudly  
  
"That long?" Johnny pouted.  
  
"Yes that long, unless you want us to come down in our pyjamas" Yushi poked him in the chest and stared up defiantly at him.  
  
This brought a smirk to the Scottish teen's lips, "well, I wouldn't complain..." He trailed off, "where's the vampire princess?"  
  
"Who...oh Hannah, why she's right over...there..." she trailed off after noting that Hannah's bed was empty.  
  
"She went out ages ago" Raven said, wandering over to her bed and getting her clothes out of the wardrobe.  
  
"God she must have been up early" Riah mused to herself.  
  
"No about nine o'clock" Raven said while reaching under her bed for her shoes.  
  
"Nine?! What time is it now?!" Emily near yelled at the small black haired girl.  
  
"Almost eleven" Raven sighed looking at her clock.  
  
"WHAT!?!" Hilary shot out of her bed at an alarming rate, she got up so fast her head spun and she collapsed on to the floor, "ow..." she moaned from the other side of the bed, "head rush"  
  
Yushi started to usher the boys out of the room so that they could get dressed, Raven ran to help Hilary out of the heap on the floor and Emily just stood in the middle of the room with a stunned expression on her face.  
  
Riah snuck up behind Emily and wrapped her arms around the still girl's shoulders, "I think someone's crushing!" she cried in a sing-song voice.  
  
"Am not!" Emily broke out of her stance and crossed her arms huffily across her chest, though her cheeks exploded into a million shades of red. She walked quickly to her wardrobe, flinging the doors open to view her reflection in the mirror on the inside of the door.  
  
She looked in dismay at her flushed face, baggy bed shorts and vest and tousled, feather filled hair. She was a mess. Dragging a brush through the unruly orange locks she managed to get her hair to lie flat, dragging a pair of pale green crop trousers over her legs and a baggy orange t-shirt over the swimming costume that she had pulled on. She pulled her glasses of the shelf and perched them on her nose. She was ready.  
  
She shut her wardrobe door to see her four friends stood in the middle of the room. Riah was dressed in her hot pink tankini with a pair of pale pink hot pants and a matching vest top. Yushi had a scarlet cozzie under a white t-shirt and a pair of adidas shorts. Hilary was dress like Mariah but in pale yellow and orange colours  
  
Raven was stood a little apart from the group, tugging at her clothes nervously. She was adorned in an icy blue bikini with a pair of dark blue pedal pushers and a white camisole.  
  
"Fucking stupid Hiwatari, buying stupid clothes" she muttered under her breathe while yanking at the camisole.  
  
"What's up Rave?" Hilary asked  
  
"Stupid Blue Boy, making me buy a stupid bikini" she yelled, deafening her friends.  
  
"Well I think it's nice" Riah ventured bravely, noting the sour look the small teens face.  
  
"Well yeah I mean it but it's just not me" Raven sighed in defeat, "but I guess I'll have to wear it, it's not like I have anything else"  
  
"Ah, good point" Yushi nodded solemnly, "LETS GO!" she screamed and raced out of the dorm, closely followed by her room mates laughing and giggling all the way.  
  
-*-  
  
Now that they were all stood at the lakeside, 15 minutes later, watching the small boats bob up and down in the water, Raven had the sinking feeling that she had never been kayaking before. She watched the other girls pull their lifejackets over their heads and the spray decks up their legs.  
  
After about 10 minutes Raven was sat in a small white kayak, bobbing up and down nervously. She glanced around her, watching everyone else go speeding off to the other side of the lake.  
  
"You don't know what to do, do you?" a unfamiliar voice said from behind her, she pushed her kayak around with her paddle to see a boy with vibrant green eyes stood in the water behind her. He had black spiky hair with a streak of red running through the centre.  
  
She shook her head slowly, "No, I've never done this before"  
  
"Want a free lesson?" he smiled at her and walked over to her boat through the shallow water. She nodded ecstatically, "please!" she said eagerly, earning a grin from the new boy.  
  
"Name's Ozuma" he said, holding a hand out to her, she took it gladly and shook it, "Raven" her boat began to rock with the sudden movement and she grabbed the nearest steady thing around. Unfortunately for her, the only steady object happened to be Ozuma.  
  
She blushed furiously when she realised she was holding onto him as though her very life depended on it. A deep chuckle sounded from the boy as he gently eased the stricken girl's hands off him.  
  
"I think you're going to need more than one lesson" he laughed, she scowled at him for laughing at her.  
  
"My what a mean face" he said in mock horror, causing her to burst into a fit of giggles.  
  
He began to teach her the basics of kayaking, she got the hang of it pretty swiftly.  
  
"Ok, now we gotta capsize you" he laughed at her horrified expression, "don't worry, you won't be underwater for more than 5 seconds at the most"  
  
She grudgingly agreed and let him roll her boat over, she waited and then reached out of the water and banged on the bottom of the boat three times. Ozuma then gently rolled the boat back upright. Raven spat out a mouthful of water as soon as she surfaced and opened her eyes to see Ozuma watching her.  
  
"What? It tastes disgusting!" she cried.  
  
"Now you've gotta be able to get out of the boat yourself, when your underwater, bang three times, then pull the spray deck off and slide out of the boat" he said slowly, making sure she took in every word. She nodded and rolled her boat over.  
  
She waited and banged on the bottom of the boat and went to pull off her spray deck. She couldn't find the safety catch and started to panic, she started banging on the boat frantically, she was running out of breath.  
  
Suddenly a pair of strong arms reached out to her and wrapped around her waist, with one strong pull she was ripped out of the spray deck and surfaced spluttering and coughing water from her lungs. She was held above the water, while she sucked in oxygen as though it was running out. She opened her eyes to see a certain shark fin tattooed boy glaring daggers at her new friend.  
  
"Are you trying to kill her already Santura!" Kai spat at the smaller boy.  
  
"No, I was merely teaching her how to kayak, that in my eyes, is not the same as trying to kill someone" Ozuma answered calmly.  
  
"Couldn't you see she was in trouble?!" Kai said desperately.  
  
"Well Kai, I'm amazed, the great Kai caring about someone other than himself, enough to dive in after them" Ozuma smirked.  
  
Raven look confusedly at Kai, before realising that he had indeed dived straight in after her, fully clothed and still with shoes on. Did he care that much?  
  
"I apologise for this small mishap, Miss Raven, I hope we can still be friends" he gave Raven a small smile, and she blushed slightly at him addressing her that way, she gave a small nod and turned her face towards Kai as he began to stride towards the bank with her in his arms.  
  
He reached out and laid her on the bank before hoisting himself out of the water, she glanced over his shoulder to see that Ozuma was gone.  
  
"Um, Kai?" she started.  
  
"What?" he said coldly, keeping his back to her.  
  
She flinched under his hard stare, "I just wanted to thank you for getting me out in there"  
  
"I would've done it for anyone" he said simply, this made her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. He didn't care about her at all, he just did what he had to do.  
  
"But still, you didn't have to scare him off!" she scolded the blue haired boy.  
  
He rounded on her and seized her by the shoulders, "If I were you, I'd stay as far away from Ozuma Santura as possible! It's not worth getting hurt by him!" he said harshly, staring directly into her ice blue eyes.  
  
-*Raven's POV*-  
  
What the hell did he mean by that? He's not a bad person, I'm going to show Kai that Ozuma is not a bad person, I will prove it! When he finally let go of my shoulders, there were white marks to show just how tight he had been holding me.  
  
"Kai, I'm trying to make as many friends as possible, so you need to stop scaring them away!" I yell at him.  
  
"Ozuma doesn't have a trust-worthy bone in his body!" he yelled back, "He's not worth it!"  
  
"Why do you even care, Kai?!" I snap at him, immediately regretting the words that leave my mouth.  
  
He opened his mouth to bite something back but no words left his lips, a wave of emotions swept across his face. Confusion. Anger. Sadness. I could tell that he had no idea what to say, but then again neither did I. To prevent myself looking even more of a fool, I walked away from him as fast as I could, heading towards the tall foreboding building.  
  
-*Normal POV*-  
  
Kai watched her walk away from him, he was mentally kicking himself.  
  
-*Kai's POV*-  
  
Why do I care? 


	12. a secret game

S-E: I FINALLY introduced Ozuma into the story, yay, go me! Anyway, how did ya'll like the last chappy? Kinda long wont it? I kinda like it, but it's not my best one.  
  
Ozuma: I'm evil?  
  
S-E: Well generally I think you're a nice guy but this is my fic, therefore my rules...pfft how many times do I have to say that?!  
  
Kai: *shrugs* You just keep on annoyingly repeating yourself  
  
S-E: I am not annoying! *pouts*  
  
Ozuma: She's not annoying  
  
S-E: Thanks for sticking up for me and all but...you're just trying to get on my good side!  
  
Ozuma: *hangs head in shame* I'll be in the corner  
  
Kai: And stay there!  
  
Ozuma: Shut up Kai!  
  
Kai: Make me!  
  
*Ozuma and Kai have glaring contest*...*S-E sweat drops*  
  
S-E: On with the fic!  
  
-*-  
  
Raven stormed back to the dorm, leaving a dripping trail through the corridors. People jumped out of her way, not wanting to suffer the angry looking girl's wrath if she walked into any of them. Her dripping wet sandals slapped against her legs as she walked.  
  
She ran into the dorm and slammed the door shut, making its one occupant jump from the impact. Hannah was stood in front of the wall, a paint brush in one hand and a pot of paint in the other. She had a black head band, with two velvet cat ears on top, on her head to hold her long dark hair back from her face. The rest of her hair was pulled up into a messy bun at the back, a pencil pushed through it to hold it in place. Her huge black t- shirt and shorts were splattered with paint and her feet were bare.  
  
"What's with you? Why are you all wet?" the paint covered girl enquired.  
  
"I'm all wet because we've been kayaking and I didn't know how to do it so Ozuma offered to teach me so he did and then I got stuck under water and then Kai rescued me and then he had a go at Ozuma who looked pissed off and left and now I'm pissed off with Kai because I'm tired of him scaring off possible new friends!" Raven let out in one go, crossing her arms across her chest. Man did it feel good to get all of that off her chest.  
  
Hannah blinked. "Ozuma was here? He's supposed to be in Japan on holiday" she seemed lost in her own thoughts. "He's one of Mr-I'm-so-great- bow-down-before-me's friends, I wonder why he was being helpful"  
  
"Wha-dya mean by that?"  
  
"Well let's just say he usually doesn't have something nice to say. He must have taken a liking to you" Hannah returned to painting on her wall.  
  
Raven only just realised that all of the paper tacked over the wall had been removed and a near finished masterpiece was laid out before her. She went to stand before Hannah.  
  
"Wow" she said simply staring up at the painting.  
  
A small dark haired girl in a very low backed black dress was stood in the centre of the painting with her back to the room, her head half turned to reveal blood red eyes, a long tapering Celtic tattoo snaked down her back. A huge pair of white feathered wings erupting from her back. The ends of the feathers had been stained red and were dripping with blood, just like the sword that was limply hanging in the angel's grip. The word's 'The Forsaken Angel' were painted at the bottom of the picture in long curling lettering.  
  
"It's finished at last" Hannah said with a sigh, stepping backwards to view her work. She reached up and brushed a piece of dark brown hair out of her face, leaving a crimson streak running down one side of her nose and trailing out at her chin.  
  
"It's beautiful" Raven said, her mind was still registering the shock of the picture, "God, you must have some patience, I'd have given up on something like this ages ago"  
  
Hannah merely nodded, before collapsing onto her bed, Raven sat down on the edge of the black quilted bed.  
  
"Where was you this morning? I saw you leave"  
  
"I thought you were all asleep...I went to the forest"  
  
"Why there?" Raven questioned.  
  
"I have my reasons" Hannah allowed herself a small smile as a picture of a certain turquoise eyed Russian rose in her mind.  
  
Changing the subject Hannah glanced around the room. "I see Emily managed to fry her stereo this morning" she said.  
  
"Yup, she's got the pendant I found this morning"  
  
"Its weird isn't it?" Hannah said quietly  
  
"What is?"  
  
"All this stuff started happening when you arrived, me being able to shroud myself in darkness, Emily practically melting her CD player. What exactly can you do?"  
  
"Shoot ice and snow out of my fingertips" Raven said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Cool"  
  
All conversation died out and the two girls sat in silence on Hannah's bed. After about five minutes Hannah broke the silence.  
  
"I'll see you later, I have an appointment to keep" Hannah said and ran out of the room before Raven had the chance to say bye, let alone that she had no shoes on.  
  
"Bye..." Raven said to no one.  
  
-*-  
  
Hannah ran silently through the carpeted corridors towards the boy's dorms. She didn't know exactly where she was headed, but she knew that a certain Tala Ivanov was waiting for her. His room mates, being the nightmarish Bryan and his gang of goonies, were all out at a football match.  
  
They had arranged this meeting earlier that morning during their little 'run in' in the forest. She walked swiftly down the hall, looking around her for any signs of life. She was suddenly snatched from the hall way through a doorway that had been closed a second ago, the door was slammed once she was inside. She was pushed roughly against the wall next to the door. She opened her eyes to see pair of lips in front of her, the corners tugged up into a smirk.  
  
"Gotcha"  
  
"So it would seem" she replied. He homed in on her, but she ducked out under his arms and wandered off into the room.  
  
"So this is Wonder Boy's room" she mused, running her hand along the edge of the desk, "and this is Wonder Boy's bed" She turned to look at him fully, he was dressed only in a pair of loose fitting jeans and a necklace hung around his neck.  
  
She dropped down onto the crimson covers on the bed next to the desk. The wall next to the bed was covered in posters of bands and random images.  
  
"You're covered in paint" he stated.  
  
She got up off the bed and stood in front of the desk with her arms folded across her chest. He walked towards her, backing her into the desk.  
  
"So?" she said.  
  
"Nothing, I was just making an observation" Any reply she might have made was soon lost within the depth of his mouth. Their tongues fighting for dominance.  
  
Hannah broke the kiss to refill her lungs with oxygen. "You don't wait for any invitation do you?" she panted, still pinned to the desk by Tala's body. "Don't you have anything else to do? Homework?"  
  
Tala grinned at her and said huskily to her, "if you were my homework, I'd do you on this desk right now" (A/N: I laughed so much when someone told me that...I had to put it in here!)  
  
"Yeah well, I'm business homework, and nobody likes business homework"  
  
"I like this kind of business homework" Tala smiled against her mouth and picked her up, tossing her bodily onto the bed, climbing on top of her and pinning her arms above her head. "This is my favourite kind"  
  
"The kind that bites back?" Hannah said next to his ear, and wrapped her legs around his waist, suddenly Tala found himself on the bottom of the pair, he pouted and made a whiny sound.  
  
"Didn't think I was going to let you have all the fun did you?" She smirked down at him.  
  
"Actually I did, my little paint splattered kitty" he reached up and pulled the cat eared headband off her head and waved it in front of her face. He then reached behind her head and slid the pencil from her hair, causing it to cascade down like a shiny dark waterfall. Her hair fell forwards and hung down, splaying out on the bed on either side of Tala's face. He took a lock of hair in his hand and twisted it around his fingers.  
  
"What is your obsession with my hair?" she asked him, giving him a small glare when he merely shrugged. He ran the lock along her chin and down her neck, she squirmed at the tickling sensation.  
  
"Am I the first person to even get this close to you?" he asked out of the blue.  
  
"Oh yes, the very first" she swung her head, her hair flipping over her shoulder and splaying down from one side of her head.  
  
"Why me? Why is it you let me get this close to you, even touch you, but on one else?" he asked, smiling up at her.  
  
"I don't know...you interest me" she said firmly, she shifted herself upwards until she was sat on his stomach. She took the lock of hair from his fingers and ran it across his bare chest, smiling vampirishly as he wriggled under her, trying not to laugh. "And I enjoy seeing you squirm"  
  
"As do I" he grinned and ran his fingers up her t-shirt across her stomach, "And I plan to take full advantage of that opportunity"  
  
"So how comes you let me touch you but nobody else" he said between leaving a hot trail of butterfly kisses down her neck.  
  
"Why are you so interested?"  
  
He shrugged, "Just am, anyway, it's not like I'm complaining, it saves me having to tell anybody else they touch you and they're dead"  
  
"If you must know it's because you are the only person who's touch I'll tolerate" This was only half the truth, ever since their first kiss in the forest she had been craving his touch even more. But she wasn't about to tell him that. "And you have no need to say that because if you did you would give the game away, and where's the fun in that?"  
  
"Ah I see your point there" He was glad there no one was allowed to touch her but him, she didn't know it yet, but she was his, and he was addicted.  
  
-*-  
  
Raven had changed into some dry clothes and was raving around in her bedside drawer, looking for her missing glove. There was a knock at the door.  
  
"Come in" she called, not looking at who it was.  
  
"I came to see if you were alright" a familiar voice came from the doorway.  
  
She turned around to see a certain black and red haired boy leaning leisurely against the door frame.  
  
"Hello Ozuma" she smiled at him, "What brings you here?"  
  
"I would like to make it up to you by asking you if you would like to go for a walk with me at the beach?" he gave her a small smile, looking kind of shy.  
  
"I would love to, Ozuma, I had no idea there was a beach near here"  
  
"Yeah, about five minutes away, are you coming?" he asked and grinned when she nodded enthusiastically.  
  
She closed the dorm door behind her and they walked together through the corridors down to the car park. He led her through the mass of cars until he came to a stop in front of a huge red and black motorbike.  
  
"We're going on that?!" she spluttered.  
  
"Yep, this is my baby" he patted the front of the bike lovingly before straddling it and tossing a black helmet towards Raven. She caught it nervously.  
  
"I-I've never been on a motorbike before" she stammered, not looking too keen on the idea.  
  
"Well, there's a first time for everything" Ozuma drawled, "Come on, it's perfectly safe" he reached back and patted the seat behind him.  
  
She reluctantly mounted the bike tentatively wrapped her arms loosely around his waist. He laughed at her hesitation.  
  
"You'll have to hold on a lot tighter than that if you want to stay on the bike" he chuckled and kicked the bike into life as if to prove his point. She gave a small yelp and hung onto him for dear life. He let out a loud laugh and pulled the helmet on and kicked off the ground and went roaring away from the school.  
  
-*-  
  
S-E: Hihi my little penguins! Please review this ^____^  
  
*Ozuma and Kai still in glaring contest*  
  
S-E: For god's sake! Give it up already! *hits them over head with inflatable mallet*  
  
Raven: *enters room* Um...what are they doing?  
  
S-E: What does it look like?!  
  
Raven: Oh  
  
S-E: Where's Hannah?  
  
Raven: I can't find her anywhere. I haven't seen Tala all day either...what's with you?  
  
S-E: *looks scared* I suggest you stop looking for Hannah, I mean if you can't find her that means that she doesn't want to be found right?  
  
Raven: Right, but-  
  
S-E: Why don't you go find something constructive to do...go enjoy the beach or something? Hope you are all enjoying the fic! Oh and remember, feel free to add me on msn because...well I have no friends ok...my addys in my profile if you want it. 


	13. reforming the shattered souls

S-E: Hey peeps am bak!!!!!  
  
S-E: ...  
  
S-E: Where the hell is everyone?  
  
S-E: Oh this is great!  
  
Disclaimer: S-E owns Hannah, Raven, and Yushi...nothing else.  
  
S-E: *coughs* that was extremely short...on with the fic anyways  
  
-*-  
  
After a terrifying yet exhilarating journey on the motorbike, they arrived at the beach in one piece. Once the bike had stopped, Raven immediately made an utter fool out of herself by falling off the bike.  
  
Ozuma picked her up and set her back on her feet with a smile on his face, apparently not noticing the tomato red blush that stood out against her pale skin.  
  
They had been walking down the beach for about an hour or so, talking about anything and everything. Kai was so wrong, thought Raven; he is a really nice guy, a really cute, nice guy.  
  
"Hey you wanna go get an ice cream?" he asked her, casually slipping it into the conversation.  
  
"Sure" she said and they both headed towards the ice cream stand.  
  
"Two vanillas please" Ozuma told the ice cream man, he then paid for the two cones and handed one to Raven.  
  
"Thanks"  
  
"My pleasure" he smiled at her again, she really liked him.  
  
They both sat on the sand eating their ice creams. Watching the sun set over the water. It was beautiful.  
  
"Raven?"  
  
"Hai?" she answered.  
  
"You've got ice cream on your nose" he chuckled.  
  
"Oh no" her hand flew up to her face only to be stopped by Ozuma wrapping a hand around her wrist.  
  
"I'll get it" he smiled seductively at her, and leaned towards her face. He was so close she could feel his breath rushing past her skin, leaving goose bumps in its wake. She froze, not knowing what to do.  
  
Her tongue darted over her dry lips, temporarily moistening them. Ozuma expertly licked the ice cream of her nose, before leaning his forehead against hers and grinning like an idiot. She hardly knew him and yet she felt that she could trust him.  
  
She smiled back at him, and any thanks she was going to give came out as a muffled sound as he captured her lips with his own.  
  
She froze in shock, before she began to kiss him back. Her head was spinning and her knees felt weak. It was a good thing she was sitting down. Ozuma pulled out of the kiss for air and gazed directly into Raven's ice blue eyes. He had gotten what he wanted.  
  
-*-  
  
"Ooh Tyson look!" Hilary tugged on the navy haired boy's sleeve, bringing his attention to a particularly beautiful pale pink rose. "Isn't it beautiful?" she sighed. Hilary had always loved plants and flowers, they were her obsession.  
  
'Just like you' Tyson thought, "Yeah Hil, it really is, hey look a plane!" he jumped up and pointed to the sky, just as a Tornado F3 went screaming over their heads. Hilary knew that Tyson was fanatic about aircraft. The walls next to his bed in his dorm were plastered with posters of them.  
  
"One day, Hil, you'll see me flying one of those" he said dreamily, dropping onto the grass beside her, lazily watching the fighter jet roll in the sky.  
  
"I'm sure you'll be a very good pilot, Ty" she soon got bored with watching the aircraft and returned to admiring the gorgeous pink rose. It was growing right in the middle of a patch of deep red roses and looked totally out of place amidst the crimson sea.  
  
She swung her gaze up to the sky and just sat there watching the clouds roll by.  
  
"Hey Hilary?"  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"Here" she felt something being thrust into her hands, she looked down to see the perfect pale pink rose held between her fingers.  
  
"Thank you Tyson" she said quietly, "I love it" a slow blush crept up her cheeks  
  
She looked up to his face only to see that he had plastered a stupid grin on his but his cheeks were tinged a pale pink.  
  
He pulled her into a hug her, head resting on his shoulder. Together they just laid there on the grass, watching the sky, nothing can get much better than this, thought Hilary.  
  
Grumble  
  
Hilary sat up and looked at Tyson who rubbed the back of his head subconsciously and laughed sheepishly.  
  
"Heh, guess I must be hungry" he said with a chuckle, Hilary sighed and smiled, some things would never change.  
  
-*-  
  
"It's too hot!" Yushi cried, dropping her head down onto her arms. She, Johnny, Mariah and Rei were all sat on the jetty that jutted out over the lake. It was half-way through autumn and it was still absolutely roasting hot. Johnny didn't seem at all fazed by the heat and was grinning at her.  
  
"I don't know how you can stand this Johnny?!" she sighed, she was laid out on her stomach on the edge of the jetty, waiting for the sun to dry her t-shirt and shorts out, which were all laid out at the side of her, leaving Yushi sat there in just her scarlet swimming costume.  
  
"I, unlike you, in a relatively cold place Yush, I welcome any hot weather we get" he said shrugging, "Besides, if you are that hot, I can think of a way to help you cool down" he smirked at her.  
  
"Then please tell me it, oh mighty one" she said sarcastically. Johnny stood up and walked over to her, and picked her up in his arms and walked towards the edge of the jetty. She started to struggle like mad when she realised what he was about to do.  
  
"No Johnny don't!" she squealed, but it was too late, she dropped her off the edge of the platform, straight into the cold water below.  
  
She surfaced spluttering and coughing, "Oh, you are so gunna get it, Johnny!" she yelled, and climbed out of the water, she ran full pelt down the length of the jetty. She leapt clean over Rei and Riah's heads and pounced on the red haired teen, toppling them backwards into the water.  
  
"Is it just me or are we the only sane ones here?" Riah said quietly to Rei.  
  
"Us sane ones should stick together" Rei nodded and they both grinned at each other before bursting out laughing.  
  
"Well, mostly sane anyway" Riah gasped through her giggles.  
  
"You wanna go leave these two to kill each other, and go get a drink?" Rei asked, watching Yushi try to drown Johnny, but not succeeding.  
  
"Why not" she shrugged and they got up and walked towards the outdoor drinks stand.  
  
She and Rei both ordered cokes and sat back on two deck chairs to watch Yushi attempt to murder Johnny in the distance. Riah glanced around her when something colourful caught her eye.  
  
"Hey look, the school dance is on Friday!" she yelled, bouncing and frantically pointing at the poster. Rei was afraid she'd done a Yushi and something in her head had finally snapped.  
  
"Oh no," she covered her mouth with her hands and looked totally shocked, "I don't have any formal wear!!!" she wailed dejectedly.  
  
Rei leant over to her and patted her back comfortingly. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure you and the girls can all go shopping tomorrow after school, ahh wait, shit, I don't have any either!"  
  
"Why don't you come with? Bring the guys, I mean I doubt very much that they have anything like that" she glanced back at the poster, "hey, it says here they want some local bands for the night, this gives me an idea" she grinned like a maniac and her eyes lit up like stars.  
  
-*-  
  
Emily was sat on the bank of the lake, staring out over the water.  
  
"Hey there Ems!" she heard a voice cry out in the distance, she didn't pay attention to it and was broken out of her reverie when someone pounced on her and enveloped her in a bone crushing hug.  
  
"Maxie, it's nice to see you too but has someone given you any sugar?" she choked out.  
  
He let her go and scratched his head, "well I had a coke this morning and then I had a candy bar with my lunch ooh yeah and there was-"  
  
"Forget I asked" Emily giggled, "What brings you to the thinking place of the mighty Emily?"  
  
"Nothing in particular, what were you thinking about?" he plonked himself down the ground next to her.  
  
"Nothing in particular" she mimicked, a giggle escaping past her lips. He smiled down at her.  
  
"Em, I want to ask you summits" he started, blushing like crazy.  
  
She turned to look at him, jeez him blushing was making her blush, damn blushes!  
  
"Would-you-go-to-the-dance-with-me-on-Friday?" he said in one breath and his slight blush turned into a full blown tomato red flush.  
  
Her heart skipped a beat, did he just? Yes...OH MY GOD!! She figured that she had better say something, before he got the wrong idea.  
  
"O-Ok! I'd love to" she stuttered, and he let out his breath in one huge whoosh, he hadn't realised he had been holding it. A huge grin spread across his face as he held out a hand to Emily.  
  
"Deal?" he asked, she clasped his heand in her own and gave one firm shake.  
  
"Deal"  
  
~*Later that night in the girl's dorm*~  
  
"Well girls, I, have a proposition for you" Mariah was stood in the middle of the room. Each of the other girls were sat on their beds. Yushi was sat cross legged and looked very excited, almost bouncing up and down. Hannah was sat as far back on her bed as she could, almost hidden by the shadows, seemingly curled underneath the angel on the wall.  
  
Hilary was sat on her bed, lovingly placing the pale pink rose in a tall twisted glass vase, Emily and Raven were sat on the floor in front of Raven's bed playing some card game.  
  
When she was sure she had everyone's attention, Riah continued.  
  
"I think we should reform the Shattered Souls, to play for the dance on Friday" She looked around at her friend's faces and waited for the silence to break.  
  
"Well, I don't have a problem with it" this came from Hannah, she uncoiled herself from her shadowy corner.  
  
"What's the Shattered Souls?" Raven asked inquisitively.  
  
"Our old band, and we have a place open, if you're interested" Yushi said, looking at Raven with huge blue eyes.  
  
"Yeah, Mariam used to be our backing singer, though she often shared the main vocals with Hannah, we finished the band when she left, so are ya interested?" Emily grinned at her.  
  
"Sure am, I love singing!" Raven jumped up and punched the air.  
  
"Welcome to the Shattered Souls, Raven Bacari" Mariah grinned, "I think we should book the practice room for tomorrow after school"  
  
"Pfft, we'll have to fight the Demolition Boys and the Blade Breakers for it" Hilary said, placing the rose on her desk, next to a number of other plants that littered her desktop.  
  
Raven looked at Emily and Yushi with a blank look on her face.  
  
"Huh? Oh yeh! Kai, Rei, Tyson, Maxie and Kenny are all in a band called the Blade Breakers, Kai as main vocals, Rei on lead guitar and Maxie on bass, Tyson is crazy on the drums and Kenny got the keyboard, they are really good, but not as good as us of course!" Yushi said excitedly, "they weren't too adventurous with their band name though, sticking with the blading team name"  
  
"And the Demolition Boys?" Raven asked, looking blankly at the orange haired friend.  
  
"Yup, that's the goony gang, Bryan on drums, Tala on lead guitar with Spencer on bass. Ian's on the keyboard, even though he has to sit on a very high chair just to reach" Emily said and Yushi snickered behind her while Riah grinned widely, "And Ozuma on vocals, though sometimes Tala sings"  
  
Raven did a double take, "Ozuma's in the band?!"  
  
"Yup and he's not too bad either"  
  
"But nothing compared to me and Raven" Hannah scoffed quietly  
  
"How would you know, you've never heard me sing" Raven stared at the gothic teen.  
  
"I don't need to, from what Kai tells me you're brilliant" Raven felt her face heat up, she turned away to hide her glowing cheeks.  
  
"Anyway, moving on, where did you go this afternoon Rave?" Yushi asked, flopping backwards onto her bed and making odd symbols in the air by waving her hands around.  
  
"At the beach, with Ozuma" she stated, "What?" she looked cautiously around her at her friends concerned faces.  
  
"Raven, I'd watch yourself with that one, none of us want to see you get hurt" Raven turned around to face Hannah, who had moved to stand behind her.  
  
Raven was getting slightly pissed off with people telling her that, she was capable of making her own judgements. Why couldn't they see how good a person Ozuma really was, and why would no one tell her what they meant?!  
  
-*-  
  
S-E: You like, you hate? Oh yes and Ozuma has been adopted into the Demolition Boys, and I am aiming to get 30 reveiws before I post my next chapter...ooh and am off on holiday in 15 days! W00t!  
  
Kai: Hooray!  
  
S-E: Shut up, you love me really  
  
Kai: No I don't  
  
S-E: Don't make me get nasty! *bares fangs and growls* Ya muppet! Please review! ^_____^ 


	14. first performance

S-E: Hey Ho my friends, if this chapter is up than that mans that I have hit my target of 30 reviews!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!! ^_______^ anyway, I'm aiming for 35 before the next one goes up, lol.  
  
Kai: Soulful-Eyes doesn't own Beyblade, or me thank god! She does, however, own Hannah, Raven and Yushi because they are her own OCs  
  
S-E: Hey you did that without me even asking, see you do love me! *glomps Kai*  
  
Kai: Well I had to do something to stop you babbling like a mindless fool didn't I? Now let me, I can't breathe!  
  
Hannah: S-E he's turning blue!  
  
S-E: hehe ^__^; oops  
  
Kai: *faints*  
  
Everyone: ¬_¬U  
  
Raven: On with the fic!  
  
S-E: Oh yeh in the singing parts the bits in brackets is somebody in the background singing!  
  
-*-  
  
"I can't believe we're finally reforming!" exclaimed Yushi excitedly. All six girls were stood in the music room, next to various instruments.  
  
"Yeah I know, but this feels weird after so long" Emily sighed, looking down at the bright orange and green bass guitar held loosely in her grasp. She ran her fingers experimentally over the stings.  
  
"Don't worry Ems, you've still got it" Yushi put her hand on Emily's shoulder and grinned brightly, Emily grinned and shifted the guitar into a firmer grip.  
  
"Are we good to go?" she asked around the room, Raven was sat at the side of the room, deciding to watch the group first. Hilary hovered her fingers over the black and white keys and nodded at Hannah. Mariah twirled the drum sticks around in her hands like a baton and held them poised over the drums. Yushi started to strum her fingers over the strings on her guitar. Raven recognised the tune but couldn't put a name to it. Mariah drummed out a beat for the music and Emily and Hilary joined the song.  
  
Hannah was stood with her head down in front of the microphone, she rose her head slightly and brought the microphone to her lips.  
  
"I think I'm breaking out  
  
I'm going to leave you now  
  
There's nothing for me here, it's all the same  
  
And even though I know  
  
That everything might go Go downhill from here, I'm not afraid"  
  
Raven was amazed at the power in the tiny girl's voice, she was amazing. She watched as Yushi's hands played over the chords, perfectly, not making a single mistake, even with her eyes closed.  
  
Emily was leaning backwards, balancing the bass on her hips, running her fingers over it. Mariah was grinning at Raven while she beat the drums wildly and Hilary seemed to be the only one who looked as though she was concentrating.  
  
"Way away away from here I'll be  
  
Way away away so you can see  
  
How it feels to be alone and not believe (Feels to be alone and not believe)  
  
Feels to be alone and not believe anything"  
  
They were amazing. She wondered what they had been like with their old second vocalist, Mariam.  
  
"You can't stop me now  
  
You can't hold me down  
  
You can't keep me here, I'm on my way  
  
I've made it this far now  
  
And I'm not burning out  
  
No matter what you say, I'm not afraid"  
  
She hoped she could be as good as this, oh no, what if she wasn't good enough, she'd ruin it all!  
  
"Way away away from here I'll be  
  
Way away away so you can see  
  
How it feels to be alone and not believe (Feels to be alone and not believe)  
  
Feels to be alone and not believe anything"  
  
Raven was seriously starting to worry now; she doubted she'd ever be as good as the rest of the band.  
  
"Letting out the noise inside of me (Letting out the noise inside of me)  
  
Every window pane is shattering (Every window pane is shattering)  
  
Cutting up my words before I speak (Cutting up my words)  
  
This is how it feels to not believe"  
  
'Maybe I should just quit now, I have no hope in hell of being as good as them' Raven thought panicking.  
  
"Letting out the noise inside of me (Letting out the noise inside of me)  
  
Every window pane is shattering (Every window pane is shattering)  
  
Cutting up my words before I speak (Cutting up my words)  
  
This is how it feels to not believe"  
  
"Way away away from here I'll be  
  
Way away away so you can see  
  
How it feels to be alone and not believe (feels to be alone and not believe)  
  
Feels to be alone and not believe anything"  
  
The song finished abruptly, and they all turned to see Raven's shocked and worried looking face.  
  
"Well, you like, you hate?" Yushi said.  
  
"That was amazing! Why the hell did you ever quit?!" Raven almost yelled.  
  
"Well after Mariam left, we saw no reason to continue" Hilary walked over to Raven and put a hand on her shoulder. "Now it's your turn" she shoved Raven towards the microphone and Hannah stepped silently aside and took Raven's place on the bench.  
  
"Are you sure, I mean I don't think I'll ever be as good as you guys, I mean what it I screw up? What if I ruin everything?" she babbled panicking.  
  
"Raven, you won't know until you try" said Yushi with a smile, she gave Raven a gentle push towards the microphone.  
  
"I guess you're right, but I want all of your honest opinions at the end" she said firmly.  
  
"And you'll get nothing but" said Hannah quietly. Raven nodded and turned towards the other members of Shattered Souls.  
  
"Are we ready?" she grinned at the nods she received and turned back to the microphone.  
  
The music started up and Raven took the microphone in both hands and closed her eyes.  
  
"I've been looking in the mirror for so long.  
  
That I've come to believe my soul's on the other side.  
  
All the little pieces falling, shatter.  
  
Shards of me,  
  
To sharp to put back together.  
  
To small to matter,  
  
But big enough to cut me into so many little pieces.  
  
If I try to touch her,  
  
And I bleed,  
  
I bleed,  
  
And I breathe,  
  
I breathe no more.  
  
Take a breath and I try to draw from my spirits well.  
  
Yet again you refuse to drink like a stubborn child.  
  
Lie to me,  
  
Convince me that I've been sick forever.  
  
And all of this,  
  
Will make sense when I get better.  
  
But I know the difference,  
  
Between myself and my reflection.  
  
I just can't help but to wonder,  
  
Which of us do you love.  
  
So I bleed,  
  
I bleed,  
  
And I breathe,  
  
I breathe no...  
  
Bleed,  
  
I bleed,  
  
And I breathe,  
  
I breathe,  
  
I breathe-  
  
I breathe no more."  
  
Raven sighed at the end and opened her eyes to see her friends staring at her with shocked looks on their faces, except Hannah, but what can you expect from her?  
  
"Wow" Hilary said simply, Yushi and Emily were just watching her with their mouths open, too shocked to say anything. Riah was grinning like a lunatic and Hannah, had a small smile on her face.  
  
"I think you'll like it here, Raven," Hannah said standing up, "practice same time tomorrow girls" she called out and then left the room without another word.  
  
Everyone looked at each other blankly, "well I think we can get a bit more practice in tonight, I mean we still have one vocalist with us don't we?" Riah grinned and banged her way across the drums in a tune.  
  
"Yeah!" everyone cried and they carried on practicing for another half an hour, everyone had a go at singing and playing each other's instruments, Raven decided that she was best when left with a microphone.  
  
~*The next day*~  
  
"Gah, when will it end?!" Riah cried out, dropping her head into her folded arms heavily. They were sat in maths and were ready to throw themselves out of a window.  
  
"Did you say something Miss Kirufuda?" the teacher said dryly, raising an eyebrow at the sudden out burst.  
  
"Nope, not me" Riah pushed herself upright and smile innocently at the teacher.  
  
The teacher made a grunting noise and turned back to the board, the marker making shrill squeaky noises against the shiny white surface. These sounds make Raven wince.  
  
After enduring another15 minutes of the hellish subject, the bell rang out, deafening those within a 10 metre radius, announcing the start of break.  
  
-*-  
  
"Oh thank god that's over" Raven collapsed onto the closest bench.  
  
"Amen" said Yushi, flopping down next to her. Hannah settled herself down onto a small wall running behind the bench, while Riah and Emily fought over the last seat on the bench. Riah won and Emily scowled and sat down on the floor, arms folded across her chest.  
  
Hannah pulled a disk-man out of her bag and plugged the earphones into her ears, she turned the volume down low enough as to still be able to hear her friend's conversation, she closed her eyes and leaned back against the tree growing on the other side of the wall.  
  
She could hear snatches of the conversation in between the verses.  
  
Is this real enough for you  
  
You were so confused  
  
Now that you've decided to stay  
  
We'll remain together  
  
"You were amazing in those vocals yesterday Raven" she could hear Yushi saying.  
  
"Thanks Yush, that was a pretty sweet-" The rest of the words were lost in the music.  
  
You can't abandon me  
  
You belong to me  
  
"I was worried I'd forgotten how to play" Hilary's voice said quietly.  
  
"Nah, it's something you just can't forget-"  
  
Breathe in and take my life in you  
  
No longer myself only you  
  
There's no escaping me, my love  
  
Surrender  
  
"-It's not like you had any problem remembering-"  
  
Darling, there's no sense in running  
  
You know I will find you  
  
Everything is perfect now  
  
We can live forever  
  
"Man I can't wait for practice tonight!" Riah's excited voice broke in.  
  
You can't abandon me  
  
You belong me  
  
"Me neither!" Raven cried out, jumping to her feet, "we are gunna rock the house on Friday!"  
  
Breathe in and take my life in you  
  
No longer myself only you  
  
There's no escaping me, my love  
  
Surrender  
  
"Ooh yeah! Shattered Souls are coming to get you Toll Bar!"  
  
Breathe in and take my life in you  
  
No longer myself only you  
  
There's no escaping me, my love  
  
Surrender  
  
Hannah took her headphones out, and turned to face her band mates.  
  
"It's too bad the Blade Breakers booked the music room this break" she said forlornly.  
  
"Hey Raven, you wanna see them?" Riah's eyes widened and her face split into a grin, she jumped up as Raven nodded, "Lets go then!" she yelled and ran off towards the music block, with Raven, Yushi, Emily and Hilary hot on her heels.  
  
Riah screeched to a halt outside the block as juddered forwards as the others slammed into her back. Her mouth dropped open as she saw a familiar gothic teen stood leaning casually against the wall next to the door.  
  
"Hannah, why are you-? How did you-?" she stammered, not knowing what to ask first. Hannah merely gave them a distant smile and wandered into the building.  
  
Riah turned to give her friends a shocked and confused look. Yushi sighed and pushed the pink haired girl through the door, "Come one, we'll ask her about it later"  
  
Raven grinned and shook her head, following them into the music block.  
  
They all came to a stop at a large window, looking through into the practice room.  
  
"I didn't see this window yesterday" Raven thought out loud.  
  
"You obviously weren't looking very hard" Yushi giggled, but was silenced upon receiving a glare from the black haired teen.  
  
"It's mirrored, Rave" Emily stated, placing her hands on the glass and leaning in to get a better look. Her eyes immediately seeking out a certain blue eyed bass player.  
  
"I wonder if they're playing at the dance?" Riah mused, subconsciously watching the ebony haired lead guitarist rock with his guitar in his hands along to the beat of the music.  
  
Raven could see a certain slate haired boy stood, leaning slightly on the microphone, his bangs hanging into his face and shadowing the crimson depths. He swayed slightly as he listened to his friends pick up the music and watched the speakers thudding with the impact.  
  
The tempo rose, getting faster and faster and still Kai didn't move. Suddenly he swung his head upwards and threw himself into the song. (A/N: the stuff in brackets os the others singing in the background)  
  
There was a time Looking through myself Wanting to pretend If I escaped I could feel myself I don't think you can Been far and wide  
  
But that hole inside  
  
Never really leaves  
  
"Of course they will be!" Yushi snorted.  
  
I went away  
  
But I really lost  
  
Left behind was me  
  
Install in me  
  
Clear me on my way  
  
"Besides, we've gotta have some competitors who actually stand a chance next to us" Emily stated.  
  
Ohhhhhhhh  
  
Ohh oh oh, ohh oh oh  
  
A million miles away  
  
(ohh oh oh, ohh oh oh)  
  
A million miles away  
  
"We are gunna kick their arses!" Hilary cried, jumping around like a demented cricket.  
  
I can't stay  
  
I can't stay  
  
(ohh oh oh, ohh oh oh)  
  
A million miles away  
  
"Too right!" Raven shouted, joining in the jumping.  
  
Each passing day  
  
Every passing face  
  
Seems like such a gloom  
  
I long to be  
  
Home silently  
  
Lying next to her  
  
"Have they been at Max's sugar stash?" Emily whispered to Mariah, they sweat dropped as they watched Yushi throw herself into the throw. Hannah just smiled and shook her head.  
  
Just to get back  
  
By her side is all,  
  
All I need to be  
  
All six of the girls just stood there watching the blue haired boy throw himself around the room, shouting and singing into the microphone he clutched in his hands.  
  
I went away  
  
What I really lost  
  
Left behind was me  
  
I need to be  
  
Getting on my way  
  
Ohhhh oh oh oh  
  
Ohh oh oh, ohh oh oh  
  
Ohh oh oh, ohh oh oh  
  
A million miles away  
  
(oh oh oh, oh oh oh)  
  
A million miles away  
  
"He's good" Yushi nodded to Raven's comment.  
  
I can't take  
  
I can't take  
  
(oh oh oh, oh oh oh)  
  
A million miles away  
  
"So's Rei," Riah sighed, "I wish I could play the guitar"  
  
Install in me  
  
Turn me on my way  
  
"You can you baka!" Yushi yelled, "You were playing mine earlier!"  
  
I cant take, I cant take  
  
A million miles away  
  
I cant take, I cant take  
  
A million miles away I cant take, I cant take  
  
"Yeah but I mean like that" she jerked her head towards a certain ebony haired boy singing the backing vocals after Kai, while his fingers played effortlessly across the stings.  
  
"You could if you practiced!" Yushi bereted.  
  
A million miles away  
  
Oh oh oh oh oh oh  
  
I cant take I cant take  
  
A million miles away  
  
"Wow, some competition!" Raven mused as the music died away  
  
"Pfft! Yeah right!" Riah said, waving her hand above her head.  
  
"Ah come on, they're coming out, lets go!" Emily began shoving them out of the block.  
  
"Hey, why?" Raven cried, struggling against the orange haired girl.  
  
"Because, Raven, if they know that we were watching them practice, there will be hell to pay!" Hilary said in a hushed voice and pushed Raven through the doorway.  
  
"Don't worry, we'll explain later" Riah grinned and ran past Raven back to the bench, where she promptly collapsed and closed her eyes.  
  
-*-  
  
S-E: I'm sorry it's been so long, and god was this a long chapter to write, anyway no time for anything else, I am gong kayaking, see ya!  
  
P.S: I don't own any of the songs in this chapter! 


	15. mimi?

S-E: Well, well, well, hello again my little penguins, did ya like the last chap? God I didn't half take a while, I had to rewrite the whole dam thing! Guess what, I shorted all the lights out and am surrounded by candles, lol, I hope I don't burn anything, grins evilly  
  
Kai: You're a frigging pyromaniac!  
  
S-E: Too true...  
  
Rei: Save us all! runs around in circles  
  
Riah: Why not? Fire is fun!  
  
Rei: faints  
  
Riah: Oh well drags Rei's unconscious body away  
  
S-E: Anyway...Kai you wanna do the disclaimer?  
  
Kai: Do I get a choice?  
  
S-E: Nope, now do it! lights match  
  
Kai: gulps S-E doesn't own Beyblade or the songs in this fic, unless stated otherwise, but she does own Hannah, Raven and Yushi. On with the fic!  
  
--  
  
The week began to slowly roll by and Friday loomed ever closer, our favourite ice blue eyed teen was lounging on the grass in the sun with a certain emerald eyed boy.  
  
"Raven?"  
  
"Hn" she murmured, too comfortable for anything else.  
  
"Will you go to the dance with me?" she turned her head up to see him smiling gorgeously down at her.  
  
"Sure" she grinned, he tilted her chin up with his finger and slowly kissed her lips. "but I'm playing so we'll miss a bit of it"  
  
"Don't worry, it's the same with me" he kissed the tip of her nose  
  
"You're playing too?" she thought out loud, he gave a low chuckle.  
  
"Don't worry your pretty little head, we won't interfere with you" his body shuddered and laughter ran through him.  
  
"Are you mocking the great Raven?" she asked in a mock snobbish voice.  
  
"And what if I am?" he smirked and arched one eyebrow.  
  
"Then you shall pay for your insolence" she grinned and rolled away from him, she rolled into a low crouch and spread her arms out in front of her balance. She gave a low growl and pounced on the laughing teen.  
  
He gasped and rolled backwards, she pinned him down by resting her knees on his thighs and her hands on his shoulders.  
  
"I apologise oh great Raven" he said humbly  
  
"And so you should!" she said firmly, smiling down at her boyfriend.  
  
"Oh not for that, for this" as he spoke her gripped her shoulders and in one swift movement, rolled them over.  
  
"Hey!" she blushed furiously when she noticed what position they were in, "dam" she muttered to herself, and glared up at the smirking boy. "Spoil my fun why don't you" she said darkly.  
  
"Aw, did you want to be on top that badly, baby?" he smiled wolfishly down at her.  
  
Her eyes widened when she realised what he had said, "Hentai!" she gasped in a shocked voice. He laughed and swooped down to kiss her.  
  
And we leave one couple to go and see what another is up to  
  
"What are you an idiot?!" Hannah snapped at a scared looking Tala.  
  
"What the hell have I done now?" he asked, "It seems I can't get anything right with you today"  
  
"It's hard enough to hide this as it is without you trying to give me a frigging love bite!" she said loudly, slumping backwards against the tree.  
  
"Ah, I see your point there, but you don't have to yell at me!"  
  
"Well it's the only way to get it through your thick skull" she muttered darkly.  
  
"Hey, you could have hurt my feelings with that one" he pouted at her.  
  
"Good job you don't have any feelings then isn't it?" she smirked at him.  
  
"There goes your last chance to say you were sorry, now you're gonna get it!" he grinned and jumped on her, tickling her mercilessly while laughing evilly.  
  
Even the cold and distant girl could not grit her teeth through getting tickled. She bit her tongue and her body shook with suppressed laughter, suddenly she could hold it in no longer and the giggles burst past her lips and she squirmed and tried to get away from him but failed miserably.  
  
"Ok, ok I give in!!!" she gasped and curled up in an attempt to protect herself from him.  
  
"That's better" he smirked and leaned towards her, resting his forehead against hers. "Ok, new rule, no marking"  
  
"Mmm hmm" she nodded, "I like that rule" she murmured agaist his lips. "Besides," she said, "I think you ought to know that if you bite me, I'll bite you back twice as hard"  
  
"Dam, why didn't you tell me that before we made that rule" he moaned against her mouth.  
  
"Because I knew you'd say that"  
  
"No, you just like teasing me" he smiled.  
  
"That too" she said, she slid out from under his grasp and sank to the floor, drawing her knees up to her chest.  
  
Tala sat down beside her and she leant back into him, resting against his chest, he placed one leg on either side of her and pulled her to lean right back against him. She sighed and gazed up at the sky, watching the bats flit in and out of the shadowy trees.  
  
"Han?"  
  
"Hn" she mumbled, her eyelids drooping.  
  
"How long do you think we can hide this?"  
  
"Hide what?" her eyelids were fully closed.  
  
"This, us" he sighed.  
  
"Well I think we've been doing pretty well so far, what's to say we can't keep it like this for a long time yet, I mean it's not as though someone's going to find out right now is it?"  
  
"I guess you're right" he pushed her forwards and crossed his legs, then pulling her into his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder and he smiled at her.  
  
"Come on Han, you can't sleep here, I think people would suspect if I had to carry you back" he stood up, pulling the dark haired teen up with him.  
  
"Mmm...just let me sleep" she mumbled.  
  
"Nope, you can sleep when you get back, now wake up" he gave her a gentle shake, and she opened her eyes to stare into his turquoise ones. She stood on her tiptoes to place a soft kiss on his lips.  
  
"Night Ivanov" she grinned and patted his cheek before turning on her heel and walking away from him. He grinned after her, unbeknownst to both of them that a pair of pale lavender eyes were watching them from the shadows, watching the couple part with cold eyes.  
  
The hidden person stalked silently away from the edge of the clearing. "Oh Tala, when will you learn not to take what's mine" the stranger mused, before stalking up the stone steps and along the corridors to the boy's dorms.  
  
Raven wandered through the school grounds, bored out of her mind. Ozuma had gone off to practice with the rest of the demolition boys for tomorrow. She turned towards a small group of trees by the blading courts. There she saw her newest form of amusement, for there, sat cross-legged on the ground, leaning backwards against the tree looking asleep, was a certain slate haired blader. She gave a sly grin and moved silently towards her conquest. She launched herself at him, throwing herself in his lap.  
  
"Boo!" she yelled as she landed on him.  
  
"Gah!" he yelled, awaking with a start, he glared angrily down at the girl in his lap, who was having a giggle fit.  
  
"You-gasp-Shoulda-gasp-Seen your-gasp-FACE!" she spluttered, pausing to draw breath between each word.  
  
He sent her an I-don't-see-anything-funny-about-this glare and shoved her off his lap. "And the point in that was?"  
  
Her laughter subsided and she lay on the grass taking in huge gulps of air, when she had calmed herself down enough to talk she stood up and brushed herself off.  
  
"Nothing really, I was bored, anyway now that you're awake, amuse me" she grinned down at him.  
  
"You're kidding?!" he spluttered.  
  
She shook her head, "I kid you not, Blue Boy"  
  
"You expect me to amuse you?" he stated  
  
"Yup!" she chirped.  
  
"Are you totally incapable of amusing yourself?" he sent her a pointed look.  
  
"Well, no but I need somebody else to do this with me. Blue Boy, I challenge you to a beybattle!" she said firmly, holding out a hand to pull him up.  
  
"Challenge accepted" he ignored her outstretched hand and stood up, striding past her to the beyblade courts. She scowled after him, before running to catch up with him.  
  
"So you were bored too huh?" she asked.  
  
"No, I just never back down from a battle and besides, me and you have a score to settle" he said, pulling open the gate to the courts and stepping inside, walking swiftly over to the crimson dish in the far corner.  
  
"Then consider it settled" she grinned as she snapped her icy blue blade onto her launcher, she held it out in front of her and waited for Kai to do the same.  
  
"3...2...1...Let it rip!" they shouted as they sent their blades screaming into the dish. Raven's, being the smaller blade, streaked past Dranzer and quickly claimed the centre position. She watched the darker blade circle her own with eyes like a hawk.  
  
Kai wasted no time in attacking and called forth his bit beast. The red and gold phoenix rose resplendently out of the blade in a spiralling tower of flames.  
  
A huge white wolf exploded out of the bit in the smaller blade. The thick white fur on her shoulder blades twisted and merged into the long black feathers that spread into long tapering wings which coiled around the beast.  
  
"Dranzer! Fire Arrows!" Kai yelled, watching the flames rain down on the wolf.  
  
"No! Icefire, Cover!" she yelled as a sheet of ice formed around Icefire and the flames dissolved into pitiful smoke as they touched it.  
  
"Nice move Wings, but you won't escape this time" Kai called over the battle, "Dranzer! Slash that ice cube!"  
  
The phoenix's talons sliced through the frozen shield like a hot knife through butter, the broken ice fell to the ground and smashed over the dish, the two blades streaking to the edges to avoid getting flattened.  
  
"Come on Icefire, let's show our favourite pyromaniac what we're made of! Raging Blizzard!" she called out to the wolf. The wolf threw her head back and let out a loud piercing howl. The shattered ice rose out of the dish and broke into a million tiny shards, they swirled around Icefire like a swarm of angry bees. Kai peered through the snow storm and saw Raven stood with her feet apart, and her fists clenched at her sides. Her head was thrown back as she screamed with her bit beast.  
  
"Dranzer defend!" Kai screamed and watched as his Dranzer disappeared behind a wall of fire. "Don't you know that fire melts ice, little snow bunny?"  
  
Raven growled at the latest pet name and urged her blade forwards. She knew he was right but then again ice could do as much damage to fire. Both blades screamed towards the centre and met in another blinding flash. Raven threw her arms up to shield herself, she crossed them in front of her as the force from the impact pushed her backwards.  
  
Kai turned his back on the light and dug his heels into the ground as the force tried to push him away. He sank to his knees and clutched his head as a high pitched whistling filled the air.  
  
Raven was curled into a small ball with her head grasped between her hands, attempting to block off the deafening sound. The light and sound died away to reveal the two teens lying on the ground. Kai pushed himself up and staggered over to the edge of the dish. He scanned the dish for the blades and saw them both slowing down and wobbling pitifully. They both stopped at the exact same moment.  
  
"Aw man not again" he heard a voice from beside him. He swung his crimson eyes around to see the black haired teen lying on the ground, her head resting on the edge of the dish. "Why can't I beat you?!" she asked angrily.  
  
"Maybe because I'm a better blader than you" he said thoughtfully.  
  
She scowled at him, "Oh really Mr-you-didn't-win-either"  
  
He glowered at her, knowing that she was right.  
  
"Anyway, I thought this was just a friendly battle, what did you think you were doing by almost destroying my blade. You have some serious anger issues Kai" she said angrily.  
  
"What do you mean I almost-" he was cut short as she thrust her blade in front of his face, sure enough there were gouges and scrapes out of the attack ring, and the defence ring was almost sliced in half.  
  
"Oh"  
  
"Oh? Oh?! Is that all you can say after you nearly chopped my beyblade in half?!" she stormed, advancing on the taller boy.  
  
"I'm sorry" he said, wait had he just said he was sorry, that was it, he was going soft. He never apologised to anyone, even when he knew that they were right. What was wrong with him?!  
  
"You owe me new parts Hiwatari!" she said firmly, poking him sharply in the chest.  
  
"I know"  
  
Before she could shout at him any further, a new voice broke into the conversation.  
  
"Oh Kai!" a sickly sweet female voice broke in, Raven turned to glare at the owner of the voice and came face to face with a tall slender girl, with bleach blonde shoulder length hair and sparkling green eyes. Raven had to crane her neck to look up at this girl, Christ she was almost as tall as Kai!  
  
"What do you want, Mimi?" he sighed.  
  
"What sort of a greeting is that for your favourite girl?" Mimi flashed him a super wide smile and wrapped her arms around his neck. Raven noticed that Kai didn't shrug out of her grasp.  
  
She turned and looked Raven up and down as though she was an insect. "Who's the shrimp?" she said airily.  
  
Raven gave a low growl and sent the new girl a super death glare. "The name's Raven" she gritted out.  
  
"What sort of a name is that?" the blond girl scoffed.  
  
"My name, what sort of a name is 'Mimi'" The smaller teen ground out, sarcasm dripping from her words.  
  
Mimi just looked at her with disgust and returned to flirting shamelessly with Kai.  
  
Raven decided she'd had enough of watching the girl drape herself over the boy she'd been shouting at just a few moments ago. She turned on her heel and stormed back towards the school, man even homework was better than watching that little scene.  
  
She reached her dorm and threw the door open, she was glad that no one else was in as the door bounced forcefully off its hinges. She dropped down onto her bed and tried to calm herself down, she took deep breathes but nothing she tried would calm the storm that was raging through her. She couldn't understand why she was so mad. She put it down to the way that smarmy bitch had spoken to her. 'What was her name? Oh yeah 'Mimi', what the hell sort of a name is that?! Sounds like something you'd name a Barbie doll, come to think of it, she did remind me of Barbie, damn plastic bitch!' Raven growled audibly. She crawled across her bed and plugged her headphones into the CD player that she, or rather Kai, had bought when they were in town. She nicked one of the CD's from Yushi's stack, and set the volume to full.  
  
She jammed her headphones over her head and leaned back against the cool wall, letting the music flow through her.

iDeep inside your soul

There's a hole  
  
You don't want to see  
  
Every single day, what you say  
  
Makes no sense to me  
  
Even though I try  
  
I can't get my head around you

Somewhere in the night

There's a light  
  
In front of me  
  
Heaven up above

With a shove  
  
Abandons me  
  
And even though I try  
  
I fall in the river of you  
  
You manage to bring me down too

All your faking  
  
Shows you're aching

Every single day

What you say  
  
Makes no sense to me  
  
Letting you inside isn't right  
  
Cause you'll mess with me  
  
I never really know  
  
What's really going inside you  
  
I can't get my head around you

All your feeding  
  
Shows you're bleeding

Deep inside your soul

There's a hole  
  
You don't want to see  
  
You're covering it up

Like a cut  
  
With the likes of me  
  
You know I've really tried  
  
I can't do anymore about you

The cut's getting deeper  
  
The hill's getting steeper  
  
I guess I'll never know  
  
What's really going on inside you  
  
I can't get my head around you

/iShe sang the words out loud. She managed to work her way through the entire Splinter album, just to calm herself down. She thought about the next day, kind of looking forward to the dance and yet dreading it at the same time. She looked at her dress, which she had bought yesterday, hanging on the outside of her wardrobe. She was kinda looking forward to seeing what Hannah would turn up in, looking at what she wore normally, what would she do for a dance? She was excited, she wondered what everyone's reactions would be when the Shattered Souls turned up again with a new member. "I wonder what Ozuma will look like in a suit" she giggled at the thought and lay down on her bed, closing her eyes and just listening to the music. She would just have to wait until tomorrow. -- S-E: Lame ending I know but hey, if you don't like it then shoot me! dodges bullets hehe ; I also own Mimi, if anyone cares. I don't own any of the songs in this fic, so if you want to know who they are by then feel free to ask me. Kai: I hate to admit it, but you do have good taste in music S-E: Thanks Kai! attempts to hug Kai Kai: Do NOT try that again! S-E: Mmmmkay! Reviews please...I need reviews, I didn't even wait for 35 reveiws this time cuz I'm bored 'n' all.


	16. authors note

S-E: You know I hate to do this to you guys but you're going to have to wait for about two weeks at least for an update, because I'm off to Cyprus tomorrow. YAY! Anyway, I'm half way through the new chapter and I'm never going to get it finished so I will post it as soon as I get back kay?  
  
Silver-chan: And I'm going too!!!!!!!!!  
  
S-E: Uh, Silv, they don't know who you are  
  
Silver-chan: Oh well I am Silver-chan, soulful-eyes' alter ego and she talks to me, but I don't like her friend Jemma so I have decided to stab her in her sleep with a pencil- is shut up  
  
S-E: I don't think they need to know that Silver hand over Silver's mouth  
  
Silver: Mfft grrrrrrr!!!  
  
S-E: lets go hehe...you can't bite me Silver, because it's my body and you biting it would only hurt you as well, so just don't.  
  
Silver: Mmmmmmmkay  
  
Kai: Yay, they are leaving!  
  
S-E and Silver: SHUT UP KAI!!!!!!!!!!!! duck tapes him to a chair  
  
S-E: We'll be seeing ya! Love you all!!!!!!! 


	17. the bloodied singer

S-E: Hey kiddywinks...hehe...my science teacher says that.  
  
Raven: oh lord...  
  
S-E: anyway, here I am, with a new chapter for your enjoyment...I hope! I really can't be assed with this at the moment but there is nothing better to do and if I don't write down what's in my head then I will forget it and that's...not a good thing...  
  
Yushi: YAY ITS DANCE DAY YAY ITS DANCE DAY YAY ITS-  
  
Hannah: Shut up already! stuffs apple into Yushi's mouth  
  
Yushi: Mmmffmfmff!  
  
Raven: Mmmmkay...S-E owns me, Hannah and Yushi oh and Mimi.  
  
Mimi: Someone say my name?  
  
Raven: Die evil Barbie bitch! jumps on Mimi  
  
S-E: On with the fic, please review when you are done   
  
--  
  
Kai had arrived in his dorm last night, after finally getting rid of Mimi, only to find a small pendant on his desk, it was just like Raven's only instead of a blizzard raging around the clear orb there was a tiny flame suspended in the centre of it. He had noticed each of his friends wearing these sort of things.  
  
Max's had a water droplet inside it, Tyson's had a tiny fluffy cloud in the centre, Rei's was empty, apparently representing serenity, Raven's snow and ice, Johnny had one with a sun blazing in it. He picked his up and pulled it over his head, sliding it under his shirt, it was warm to the touch, like Johnny's was. Emily had a lightning bolt one, Hannah's was seemingly full of darkness and shadows. Hilary's had a leaf trapped inside and Yushi had a moon. Mariah's was interesting to watch because inside a tiny shape constantly bounced around the sphere, rebounding of the sides endlessly.  
  
Hell even Tala had one of these things, and Kai wouldn't go as far as calling him a friend. You had to shield your eyes with Tala's because it was a very bright light, it spent most of it's time hidden under his shirt.  
  
Kai recalled that Tala had been acting pretty strangely recently, disappearing for hours at a time, well he did that before but he always showed up to annoy you at some time or other either that or he was flirting shamelessly with anything in a skirt, he hadn't been doing that lately, and his favourites were beginning to worry that they had been replaced.  
  
Kai turned to his wardrobe, casting his eyes over his outfit for that night. He proceeded to change into the tight black trousers and black button down shirt, he left the top few buttons undone and left his fiery necklace on show. He pulled a pair of black boots onto his feet and looked at himself in the mirror.  
  
'It'll do' he thought to himself, running a hand through his unruly two toned hair. He scanned the room and noticed that all of his room mates clothes for the dance had gone, meaning they were ready and were probably downstairs already. He sighed and headed towards the door, this was going to be a long night.  
  
"Oh my god I'm so nervous" Raven said, her hands shaking as she pulled her dress up. "Yushi can you lace me up please?" she turned her back to the black and red haired girl.  
  
"Sure Rave" She pulled on the thin strings across the back of the dress, lacing them across her friend's back, tying them at the top in a loop. "Don't be nervous, you'll be great!" she put her hand on the fretting teen's shoulder. She shrugged the shoulder of her own dress on and twisted it around to make it more comfortable. All of the girls had applied their make up earlier. Hannah was no where to be seen, and they all wanted to see the gothic teen's dress.  
  
They still had an hour before they needed to be in the hall, they were playing last. They had all gone down and set up they equipment that morning. Raven had been nervous all day and was already at breaking point. Hilary was also worrying, even though she had done it before. She was sat on her bed in her dress. She was wearing a dusky pink dress with a slit up to the thigh in one side, her hair was pulled to the back of her head in a bun with a black flower pushed through it.  
  
Yushi's dress was beautiful, a black one shouldered dress that fell past her ankles, there were crimson butterflies spiralling up one side, large at the bottom and getting smaller until they disappeared just underneath her waist. Her black and red haired had been straightened and flowed over her shoulders, she had black stars painted around one eye, making the marine blue orb seem to shimmer.  
  
She had been asked to the dance earlier in the week by Johnny, and had accepted willingly, but she wasn't allowed to tell him that the Shattered Souls had reformed, so she told him mysteriously that he would have to wait and see why she had to miss a bit of it.  
  
Emily's dress was made of very dark green satin and laced down one side with a black ribbon, she had her pendant on, as did Raven and Hilary. She had the power of earth. Emily's hair had been flicked out at the bottoms and it suited her very well.  
  
Mariah' dress was deep purple with hot pink gussets in the bottom of the skirt, her hair had been plaited and was tied with a dark purple ribbon, a few bags framed her face. She had black lipstick and her eyes had been blacked, causing the golden eyes to stand out.  
  
Raven was stood in the middle of the room, uncomfortably pulling at one sleeve of her dress. Her dress consisted of a midnight blue ball gown, it was low cut across the front and lace up front the base of her back at the back, the three quarter length sleeves were edged with black lace. "I'm not used to such formal clothes" she said sheepishly.  
  
"Nah we're not either but it's ok, and besides you look great!" Riah said cheerfully, holding her hair up while Emily fastened the clasp on her necklace. Raven stared at the pendant for a moment, watching the pink fizzly (A/N: I know this isn't a word but I couldn't think of anything better!) orb bounce happily around inside its glass confinement.  
  
"So, we ready girls?" Yushi asked excitedly, she grinned as her friends all nodded enthusiastically and bounced out of the door.  
  
"Here we go!" Emily cried as they sped down the corridor.  
  
"I can't wait!" Riah yelled, hitching her skirt up to her knees so she could run faster.  
  
Raven merely laughed loudly at her friends and picked up her pace, speeding past her taller friends chuckling at their loud protests and failing to keep up with her. Yes, tonight was going to be fun!  
  
The dance floor was slowly filling with dressed up teenagers, a sea of black, white and a wide variety of other colours. Yushi was peering out from behind the curtain in front of the stage.  
  
"Where is she?!" she hissed.  
  
"Hey calm down Moonshine, she'll be here!" Riah sighed from her place behind her brightly coloured drum kit. All but one of the Shattered Souls were stood behind the thick red curtains with their weapons of choice in their hands. They were due to perform in five minutes and their lead vocalist had yet to pitch up.  
  
After another four minutes had passed, they all looked desperately around them.  
  
"Looks like you'll be the only vocalist tonight Raven" Emily said brightly, shifting her bass into a better grip and resting it on her hips.  
  
They could all hear the host of the evening playing up the crowd preparing to announce the first band of the evening. Them.  
  
"And now, I'd like to introduce to you a band, who haven't played for five years. They've got a new member too. You loved 'em then. You'll love 'em even more now. I give to you, The Shattered Souls!!!!!" the host screamed into the audience. This was it, now or never, with or without another vocalist.  
  
Just as the red curtain was ripped away a dark blur streaked through the group and ran to the front of the stage. The figure had dark hair but it had been severed unevenly to their shoulders and the remains of a dress were draped around their slight frame. One of the sleeves of the dress had been ripped down to gather around her wrist, the lacing that ran up the back of the dress, once tightly strapped up, and was hanging loose. The soft skirt that fell to the figure's ankles was ripped all the way up one side, revealing a milky white thigh. The shoulder of the bodice was sliding off the young girl's shoulder. She turned to face the band members.  
  
A sharp intake of breath ran through the group as they took in the sight before them. Hannah's neck was streaked with crimson as blood leaked from a wound on the side of neck, the skin around her left eye was beginning to turn an unattractive yellow and purple colour.  
  
Yushi opened her mouth to say something but Hannah swiftly raised a finger to her lips and turned back to face the crowd.  
  
"Hey guys, I know you haven't heard from us in five years" she called out to crowd. "So I want you to dance so hard to make up for that time!" she yelled. She gestured behind her to Emily who immediately started up her bass and set the music going.  
  
Hannah started to make a low sound with her mouth along to the music. Raven also did this but she provided almost a backing song to Hannah's. Yushi broke the sound by slamming her fingers against her guitar strings making them sound distorted.  
  
Raven suddenly let the words leave her mouth in a rush. Her voice sounded low and soft and she spoke the words rather than sang them.  
  
"Bound at every limb by my shackles of fear, Sealed with lies through so many tears  
  
Lost from within, pursuing the end  
  
I fight for the chance to be lied to again"  
  
Throughout this Hannah had continued her small sound. When Raven stopped Hannah started on her words.  
  
"You will never be strong enough  
  
You will never be good enough  
  
You were never conceived in love  
  
You will not rise above"  
  
"They'll never see, I'll never be, I'll struggle on and on to feed this hunger, Burning deep inside of me"  
  
Raven sang the last line with her and then they both fell silent as the music rose up and drowned their voices out. Raven took a deep breath and swayed softly to the beat of the music before carrying on as the music lowered.  
  
"But through my tears breaks a blinding light, Birthing a dawn to this endless night, Arms outstretched, awaiting me An open embrace upon a bleeding tree"  
  
Hannah joined Raven for the next verse, combining their voices to create a soft and soothing sound.  
  
"Rest in me and I'll comfort you  
  
I have lived and I died for you  
  
Abide in me and I vow to you  
  
I will never forsake you"  
  
They both sang the chorus twice again, before repeating the last verse, both of them raising their voices to shout down into the microphones. The crowd began to dance even harder, throwing themselves around to the beat of the music.  
  
"Rest in me and I'll comfort you!  
  
I have lived and I died for you!  
  
Abide in me and I vow to you!  
  
I will never forsake you!"  
  
"They'll never see  
  
I'll never be  
  
I'll struggle on and on to feed this hunger"  
  
Hannah began the chorus for the last time, with Raven singing the same words just after her.  
  
"Burning deep inside of me" They finished softly, the crowd around the stage erupted into mass applause and shouting. Raven grinned around her at her friends, all of them where smiling happily. They ran their way through 5 more songs, including Still-Frame sung by Yushi and Emily, and Mariah and Yushi swapping weapons while Mariah produced a brilliant rocked up version of My Paper Heart that could've giver The All American Rejects a run for their money. By the end they were all grinning widely and totally exhausted. Hannah however looked preoccupied, as though something more important was pressing down on her mind.  
  
Raven watched as the rest of her band mate's smiles slid from their faces as they gazed at the oblivious gothic teen. Not wanting the huge audience to notice their little problem, she sang out the starting words to another song. This shook the other girls out of their stupor as they added the music to her words.  
  
"I've felt the hate rise up in me, Kneel down and clear the stone of leaves,  
  
I wander out where you can't see,  
  
Inside my shell, I wait and bleed!"  
  
Raven prayed desperately that Hannah would shake out of her reverie and join them in the land of the living. They could NOT screw this gig up. She repeated the chorus as she waited with growing anxiety for the still, gothic teen to move. She let her breath go when the frozen girl stirred into life. She jumped up and slammed her heavily booted feet down onto the stage floor, throwing her head back and pushing her arms out away from her.  
  
"GOODBYE!!!!!!" she screamed out.  
  
"I wipe it off on tile, the light is brighter this time! Everything is 3D blasphemy!  
  
My eyes are red and gold, the hair is standing straight up!  
  
This is not the way I pictured me!  
  
I CAN'T CONTROL MY SHAKES!  
  
How the hell did I get here?!  
  
Something about this, so very wrong...!  
  
I have to laugh out loud, I wish I didn't like this!  
  
Is it a dream or a memory?!" she screamed out. She and Raven had switched the singing styles, for Hannah's voice howled out hoarse and low, whereas Raven's sang out in a soft and calm tone.  
  
Together they repeated the chorus two more times before leaving Hannah to sing another verse.  
  
"GET OUTTA MY HEAD CUZ I DON'T NEED THIS!" the words ripped up her throat and she clutched her head with her hands, the cords that held what was left of her corset to her body were becoming looser and thus it was practically hanging off her.  
  
"Why I didn't I see this?!" she yelled, she grabbed the ripped off sleeve that was bunched around her wrist and tore it off completely.  
  
"I'm a victim - Manchurian Candidate!" next came the other sleeve, ripped from its seam and thrown aside.  
  
"I-HAVE-SINNED-BY-JUST-" the top corset was next to be tossed away from her body, revealing a black and deep purple petticoat beneath.  
  
"Making my mind up and taking your breath away!" her eyes were squeezed shut as she was swept up in the song.  
  
"I've felt the hate rise up in me,  
  
Kneel down and clear the stone of leaves,  
  
I wander out where you can't see,  
  
Inside my shell, I wait and bleed!" the entire band sang out, mixing and blending their voices and singing styles to produce an amazing sound.  
  
"GOODBYE!" Hannah screamed out once more, her eyes still tightly closed.  
  
"You haven't learned a thing!  
  
I haven't changed a thing!  
  
My flesh was in my bones!  
  
The pain was always free!"  
  
The chorus was sang out once more and the music took over the rest of the song.  
  
"And it waits for you!" Hannah yelled, letting the words trail off at the end. Her eyes snapped open as she pushed herself away from her microphone and walked off back stage. Her friends quickly put away their instruments and ran after her.  
  
"Hannah, wait!" Yushi called, she ran up to the tiny girl and laid a hand on her shoulder, only to have her fall backwards into her arms. "What's wrong?! Who did this?!" she demanded.  
  
"No, just take me away from here" Hannah whispered. The group decided to say nothing more. The dance was over now and, carrying Hannah between Mariah and Hilary, they went up to their dorm where the bruised and bloodied teen curled up on her bed and fell asleep in minutes. Leaving the other five girls to do nothing but imagine what could have caused this.  
  
S-E: Tadaa! What ya'll think my little darklings? I planned out the next five chapters on paper when I was on holiday...especially for you guys! God that took a while! Any way...someone wanted the names of the songs so...the first one in chap 14 was 'Way Away' by Yellowcard. The 2nd one was 'Breathe No More' by Evanescence. The 3rd one was 'Surrender' by Evanescence. And Kai was singing Million Miles away by Offspring. In chapter 15: Can't get My Head Around You by Offspring...and in case any of you were wondering the songs in this chapter are: Lies by Evanescence and Wait and Bleed by slipknot. These were for bs3ssi0n!  
  
Silver: HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
S-E: ¬¬U she's on a sugar rush..again! 


	18. marked

S-E: Hey my favourite darklings, how are ya'll? Anywayz thanks to all those who reviewed my last chapter, sorry it took so long im kinda in the middle of my work experience...yep...I can frame pictures now. So I've been writing all through the night since my last chapter because I can't sleep, and I honestly don't want to.  
  
Raven: Disclaimer time...Soulful Eyes owns me, Hannah, Yushi and...scowls...Mimi...there may be more OCs introduced but she has no idea at the moment because we are constantly arguing in her head...  
  
Yushi: is on sugar rush ON WITH THE FIC!!!!  
  
Everyone: ¬¬U  
  
Hannah's dream  
  
She could see him, lying on the hard, leaf covered floor. Coughs wracked his body as he spat out a mouthful of blood. His attacker stood above him, leering down at him as he delivered another kick to the red headed boy's stomach.  
  
Cold, emotionless lavender eyes ran over the fallen boy.  
  
"You just don't give in do you Tala?" he said matter-of-factly, "why?"  
  
"Because, Bryan, I'm not going to let you have her!" Tala spat as he staggered to his feet. He painfully drew himself up to his full height, wincing as he did so. He summoned a smirk onto his face, "And you just can't stand that she chose me over you!" he declared triumphantly.  
  
The lavender haired boy's lips curled back into a snarl as he knocked Tala to the ground again. Hannah reached forward with a hand, reaching for Tala, but he only seemed farther away. The pair were fading fast.  
  
"I think it's time to end this, Ivanov, I never break a promise!" Bryan sighed. He closed his eyes and lifted his arms into the sky, somehow, Tala was borne into the air. He floated in front of Bryan, suspended with his arms and legs spread like a star. His face was contorted with pain.  
  
"No!" Hannah screamed, "Leave him alone!" she scrambled towards the disappearing pair. "TALA!!!!" she wailed.  
  
Hannah's POV  
  
I jolted upright in her bed, only to find myself surrounded by my best friends and myself totally entangled in the bed covers and totally drenched in sweat.  
  
"Hannah?! Are you ok? Please say something!" I could Yushi's frantic voice, although it sounded very far away. I could hear a low babbling of voices. I'm not sure what was being said, a jumble of words. Only one broke through my mind.  
  
"Hannah, why were you screaming for Tala?"  
  
My eyes shot open. "Tala" I whispered and pushed my friends away from me, falling off my bed with a thud in an attempt to free myself of the silk confinement. I scrambled over to the door and flung it open, it bounced loudly off the wall. I threw herself out of it and hurtled down the corridor, not caring that I was still dressed in my pyjamas or that I had no shoes on. I could hear the sounds of my friend's feet pounding the floor as they ran after me.  
  
I skidded around a corner, almost crashing into the wall, but I managed to balance myself and carried on my run. Tears blurred my vision and I couldn't see anything clearly. I was relying on my sense of direction to get me to the forest.  
  
And I also didn't see the person looming up in front of me until I ran straight into them. I was sent flying backwards and landed on my back, letting out a yelp of pain. I ignored the pain and carried on running, nothing is going to stop me from getting there.  
  
Normal POV  
  
"Bloody Hell!" Michael cried as he hurtled backwards. Colliding with a stricken goth girl on a rampage sure was painful. He rubbed his temple ruefully and pulled himself to his feet.  
  
"What's her problem?!" he ranted, "doesn't she look where she's going?!" his continued to show his displeasure by waving his arms around in the air and scowling. This received many odd looks from the four teams stood behind him.  
  
He quickly flattened himself against the wall as the other five girls fell around the corner, onto a heap on the floor.  
  
"Which way?" Emily asked frantically, disentangling herself from the group and staggering up to Enrique.  
  
"Hurricane Hannah went...that-a way" he pointed to the corridor on his left, "what's up with her?" but Emily had already pushed past him and attempting to run down the corridor after her friend.  
  
"We have no idea, but come with and I think you'll soon find out" Hilary panted, she wasn't used to running so much, whereas Mariah was seemingly full of energy, even though it was one in the morning. She was bouncing up and down on her heels and half dragging Rei and Lee down the corridor.  
  
When Kai had seen Hannah pelting blindly down the corridor, the alarm bells in his head had sounded. He ran faster than any of them. He saw Hannah as his closest friend, they had grown up together, she was the one who knew him best. Though he hated to admit it, she could read him like a book and yet he could never tell what was going on inside her head.  
  
Raven ran so close behind Kai, she was almost treading on his heels. Enrique, Michael and Robert were lagging at the back and panting hard. None of them had run so much before, but they tried to keep up none the less. Tyson was dragging the slowly tiring Hilary by her hand. She tripped over something and fell to the floor in an exhausted heap. Tyson wasted no time in picking her up and running with her on his back through the trees. Gary was crashing through the trees as Kevin darted around and under branches. Eddy and Steve were doing their best to avoid the huge dark trees as they ran, with not much success. Oliver and Max were running through the trees with surprising agility, Rei, Mariah and Johnny hot on their heels. Emily and Yushi were pulling one another along. Yushi was half-heartedly yelling ahead of her for Hannah to slow down, but she didn't listen.  
  
Hannah was showing no sign of tiring as she flew towards her goal. She was so close now she could hear Tala and Bryan's conversation.  
  
"I think it's time to end this..." Bryan's voice drawled, "...I never break a promise..."  
  
She burst through the branches and thorny bushes, covered in fresh cuts and bruises. It was just as she had seen it, Tala was hovering in front of Bryan. Bryan's eyes were now open and were glowing with a bright white light. He cupped a fiercely bright orb in his hands.  
  
"So I thought what better than to destroy you with your own power!" he said maliciously, before throwing back his head and roaring with laughter.  
  
"STOP!" she shouted.  
  
Hannah's POV  
  
Bryan immediately stopped laughing and looked at me in shock. He quickly put his mask back on and the smirk slid back onto his face.  
  
"Hello there, my darkling, you're just in time to see the show" he leered.  
  
"Leave him alone" I said darkly, ignoring the throbbing pain in my feet and legs.  
  
"And why would I want to do that?"  
  
"It'll be worth your while"  
  
He raised an eyebrow at this, and then grinned widely. "Are you offering a trade, love?"  
  
I could not find any words, so I just nodded numbly.  
  
"Me for him" I said quietly when I had found my voice.  
  
"You'll be mine?" he asked, surprised.  
  
Again I just nodded.  
  
"Willingly?"  
  
"Willingly" I repeated, "Just give him to me"  
  
Bryan flashed a triumphant smile and brought his arms down, sending Tala crashing to the floor. He stepped away and watched as I crawled over to Tala.  
  
I cradled his head in my lap, his turquoise eyes opened and looked up at me. They were full of sorrow. "I'm sorry" I whispered in a cracked voice, I place a kiss on his forehead and step away from him. Towards Bryan.  
  
All of my friends had been watching this with shocked expressions.  
  
"No Hannah, don't do this!" Kai yelled out to me, stepping away from the group.  
  
"I have to, Kai, I traded, and I am marked" I said woefully, I swept my roughly severed hair away from my neck to reveal the ugly purple bite mark in my neck. Kai sucked his breath in sharply and glared over my shoulder at the grinning Bryan.  
  
"How dare he?!" Kai quietly seethed, "I won't let him take you!"  
  
"You have no choice, you can't stop him, don't make this any harder than it is" my voice broke with the last few words, I choked them out and turned my back on my childhood friend.  
  
"Hannah!" Bryan's voice called sharply, and I knew it was time to go. I walked numbly towards him and stood beside him while he wrapped his arms around my limp form. He turned me to face him and crushed his lips to mine. I didn't fight back, I didn't respond, not seeing anything with my dull, empty eyes.  
  
Kai's fists were clenched at his sides, his hair was shadowing his eyes. Kai's fists were suddenly aflame and the red fires licked up his arms, he ran towards us with a yell. Still with his mouth attached to mine, Bryan held up his hand and a jet of water shot from his palm. It quenched the flames and sent Kai hurtling backwards.  
  
Breaking the kiss, Bryan smirked at Kai. "Later!" he said loudly, and we vanished into thin air.  
  
Normal POV  
  
"NO!" Kai screamed and ran to where they had been. He shuddered at a halt. He stared at the spot where his friend had stood just seconds before. He felt someone lay a hand upon his shoulder, half-turning his head he looked at Raven, stood behind him in a set of midnight blue pyjamas. To her he appeared lost and frozen inside. She pulled him towards her and wrapped her arms around his drooping form. He fell to his knees and Raven went with him. A single tear rolled down his cheek.  
  
Raven never knew the bond between Hannah and Kai went this deep. She felt the tears welling up in her own eyes as she glanced around her. Rei, Robert and Lee were crouched over Tala, pulling his arms over their shoulders as they pulled the battered boy to his feet. Yushi was sat on the floor, silently crying while Mariah and Emily tried to comfort her.  
  
Johnny was raging at everyone, screaming how they had to get her back and what he was going to do to Bryan. Oliver was vainly attempting to calm him down, only resulting in him getting shouted at.  
  
Hilary had her face buried in Tyson's shirt, Kenny had appeared beside him and was sat on the leafy floor, Dizzi open upon his lap.  
  
"Now that was freaky, I can't find a single trace of them. Thinking about it, I can only find a few signals of life in the school at all. Where has everybody gone?!" Dizzi's voice broke the silence. "As far as I can tell, all non-elementals have disappeared!"  
  
"What's an elemental?" Kevin asked, he looked at the people around him. "Anyone going to tell me?"  
  
"An elemental is someone who has the powers of the 12 major elements, Ice, Fire, Water, Electricity, Air, Earth, Energy, Serenity, Nicht, Day, Light and...Dark" Raven said quietly.  
  
"Whoa I thought that sort of stuff only existed in fairy tales" Michael said in awe.  
  
"Hang on, you said all non-elementals had disappeared." Oliver said loudly. "But we aren't elementals"  
  
"There are the minor elementals too. They do not possess the same amount of power as the majors, but they do have some, you must be minors" Dizzi filled in.  
  
"How do you know about this Dizzi?" Raven questioned, "We never told anyone"  
  
"I'm a bitbeast, this has been foretold for millennia. The elemental Warriors would save the planet from a great evil, known to all of you"  
  
"Bryan!" Kai growled, pulling himself to his feet.  
  
"No, not Bryan, he's only a puppet in this story, there is one much more powerful" Dizzi said thoughtfully, "Bryan's powers are artificial, given to him by his master"  
  
"Oh" came the reply.  
  
"Does anyone else care that evil bastard has got Hannah?!" Kai yelled angrily.  
  
"Of course we do, Kai, but we need to know where they are first!" Robert said angrily.  
  
"I think we need to get Tala back to the school first" Rei said calmly, indicating to the unconscious red head between him and Lee.  
  
Enrique marched up to them and shook Tala's shoulders. His eyelids flicked open and he looked up at the blond with dull eyes.  
  
"What's going on?! What did you do to Hannah?! This is all your fault!" He shouted at Tala.  
  
"I know" Tala whispered, fresh tears began to roll down his face, "I know" he head dropped back down as he slipped into a deep sleep.  
  
"Let's get him back"  
  
S-E: OMG! What's happening?  
  
Bryan: insert evil laugh I have her now!  
  
Tala: Give her back!  
  
Bryan: No!  
  
S-E: Okay then...please review, I need lots of reviews to make me feel better...until next time! 


	19. wash away the pain

S-E: Whoa...am on a roll!  
  
Raven: Indeed...  
  
S-E: This chapter may be confusing but I shall make it as simple as I can.  
  
Yushi: On with the fic!  
  
They dragged Tala through the corridors. But when they got to the corridor where their dorms were, they were surprised.  
  
"What the hell?!" Johnny said loudly, for in it's place the corridor was lined with many different coloured doors.  
  
"One for every person" Oliver mused quietly. "If I'm right, this one should be Tala's room" he pointed to a white door on the right hand side of the corridor. The door opposite it was jet black. Hannah's room.  
  
They went through the white door into a light filled room, the satin covers on the bed were white and the walls. But it was decorated just like his part of his dorm. All of his posters tacked onto the walls, clothes scattered everywhere. They laid the teen on the bed and the boys were ushered out by Hilary, Emily and Yushi. Mariah and Raven went out with the boys and left the other three to see to Tala's wounds.  
  
They all stood in silence outside the room, waiting for the girls to finish, so they could question Tala some more. Until Raven broke the silence.  
  
"Who knew she was with Tala?" she frowned at the lack of answers. "Why didn't she tell anyone?"  
  
"She's never been a very open person" Michael mused.  
  
"She should have told us about this!" Mariah thundered.  
  
"I think she was afraid we would hate her for her decision" Oliver said softly.  
  
"No we wouldn't! We would've stood by her whatever her choice" Riah screeched.  
  
Kai had been silent throughout this. He looked up when raven spoke.  
  
"Hannah's powers have fully awoken" she said softly.  
  
"How do you know this?" Kai asked quietly, lifting his head to gaze at her with those crimson eyes.  
  
"Didn't you see her eyes?" she asked, looking at Kai as though he'd sprouted an extra head.  
  
Kai thought back to that time in the clearing, when Hannah had touched his hand for a brief moment, he'd felt something, something different about her. "Her eyes looked dull and lifeless" he said dumbly, "But I felt something different"  
  
"No behind her eyes, didn't you see the energy gathering there? Didn't you see the darkness?" she cried, "She's in danger at this time, she doesn't know how to control her power. If she's tries to use it, she could harm herself greatly!"  
  
Kai pushed himself off the wall and had seized her by the shoulders, "What do you mean?! What have you remembered?!" he asked desperately.  
  
"I-I had a dream last night" she stuttered, "I know how to train you to use your powers. I have remembered much since I came here"  
  
They were interrupted by Robert, "Remembered? What haven't you told us Raven" he asked angrily.  
  
Raven looked at Kai and then back to Robert. "I guess it had to come out sooner or later" she said with a sigh. "I wasn't just a new student here, I woke up in the forest a few months ago, with no memory at all. Kai found me and brought me here, I'm sorry to have lied to you all, but how could I tell you something I didn't know myself"  
  
She relayed her story to her friends, who listened with awe and shock, even anger.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us Raven?" Mariah asked sadly.  
  
"I-I don't know"  
  
"Is Raven even your real name?" This came from Tyson, he sounded angry at being left in the dark for so long.  
  
"I don't know, it's just a name that Kai gave me"  
  
Before they could continue any longer Yushi burst through the door. "You gotta see this!" she panted and rushed back inside, closely followed by the 17 other bladers. There was a huge intake of breathy as they saw what was happening in the room.  
  
Tala was thrashing around in the bed, his eyes were open and two soft beams of light were pouring out of them. He opened his mouth and light poured out of there too, it looked like he was exploding with power.  
  
"This is not good!" Raven said, wide eyed with fear, "This means that Hannah's going through the same thing, and we need the opposite of his power to stop this!" fear sounded in her voice.  
  
"That would be Hannah wouldn't it?" Rei asked stupidly  
  
"Uh guys!" Mariah's voice broke through with urgency, she was looking at Lee with wide eyes. His hands had suddenly become surround by a pulsing dark shadow.  
  
"Or me" Lee's voice said shakily, he walked over to Raven and placed his hands upon her shoulders. "tell me what to do" he said solemnly. She nodded and led his to the foot of Tala's bed.  
  
"Somebody hold him down" she said, smiling as Gary took hold of the red heads ankles and Steve and Eddy pinned each of his arms down.  
  
"Hold your hands above him and concentrate. Focus all of your energy and imagine pouring it into him"  
  
He complied and did as she asked, he closed his eyes and the pulsing grew stronger, but he could not force it any further. A loud noise filled the room and a wind picked up from nowhere, blowing papers off the desk and pushing against everyone.  
  
"Concentrate Lee!" Raven yelled over the roaring noise, "You must!"  
  
Letting out a yell, he forced the orb of dark energy from his hands and it sped away from him, slamming into Tala's chest. A few moments passed and Tala's seizure died away and he appeared to be asleep once more. But what was more, every one of his wounds had sealed. This was definitely getting weird.  
  
"Whoa" said Lee in awe as he looked at his hands, before falling backwards against Gary, collapsed from exhaustion.  
  
Elsewhere  
  
"What's happening to her?!" Bryan's voice came out in a panic as he watched the tiny girl thrash around on the huge black satin covered bed. She had been sleeping soundly moments ago and now she was having a fit, her back arched and her mouth open, halfway through a cry.  
  
"She's experiencing a surge of power, Bryan, it's nothing to worry about" a low, evil sounding voice said. "I suspected this would happen as she has been taken away from her friends, I am pleased that you did it so quickly anyway"  
  
"Thank you, Sir" Bryan bowed to the shadow wreathed man.  
  
He turned back to Hannah, after a few moments she slowed and her body fell back against the soft covers. The strange man had lied, it was not just a surge of power, but little did Bryan know this. Neither did he know that Lee had just saved her life.  
  
Smiling to himself, he slid into the bed next to the girl and wrapped his arms around her unknowing body, drawing her close to him. Life was sweet, he thought to himself as he submitted himself to sleep.  
  
In The Morning  
  
Bryan awoke the next day to find his arms empty. Sitting up quickly he cast desperate looks around him, letting out a sigh of relief when he discovered that she had not gone far.  
  
She was sat curled up in a big soft armchair in front of the open fire in his new room. Her cheeks showed signs of recent tears as she stared unto the heart of the fire. Her skin looked paler than usual and her posture drooped terribly. The bite mark on her neck, which he had placed there himself, stood out against her skin like a smear of purple paint.  
  
"Good morning love" he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her small frame, frowning when she just stood up and walked away from him. "What's good about it?" she said forlornly, she was suffering a major headache, as well as great heartache.  
  
"You're not still sore about last night are you?" he asked dumbly  
  
"What do you think?!" she snapped, "it's your fault I'm here!"  
  
"Hey you came to me willingly" he raised his hands above his head defensively.  
  
"It was either that or let him die!" she nearly shouted, speaking of him brought fresh tears to her eyes. 'No!' she thought furiously, 'He will not see me cry!' But it did no good as the fat salty droplets coursed down her face.  
  
"Don't cry love, you have me now" his voice whispered in her ear.  
  
"I don't want you!" she cried angrily, "I don't want to be here!"  
  
He merely smirked at her, "Well, I'm afraid you don't have much choice in the matter, seeing as you can't leave this room"  
  
"We'll see!" she spat and marched over to the door, flinging it open. She was about to walk through it when a force pushed against her. She slammed her hand against the space in front of her. She watched as the impact rippled across the surface of it, distorting the view through the door.  
  
"Don't say I didn't warn you" Bryan chuckled from behind her, he was lounging in the armchair, one leg dangling lazily over the arm.  
  
"Come here" he commanded, patting his lap, gesturing for her to sit. She shook her head furiously, earning a scowl from the lavender haired teen.  
  
"I said come here!" he said firmly. He lifted his arm into the air and yanked it backwards. Almost as though an invisible rope attached her to his hand, she stumbled forwards. When she was close enough, he reached forward and pulled her into his lap.  
  
"There, much more comfortable isn't it" he grinned in her face, she squirmed to get away, but he only held her tighter. He wagged a finger annoyingly in front of her face. "Nu-uh"  
  
"I hate you!" she said darkly, "I hate you with all my soul!"  
  
"Aww, I'm hurt, darkling, how could you, I think I deserve a kiss as an apology" without waiting for an answer, he crushed his mouth against hers. He forced his tongue past her lips and roughly plundered her mouth. He let out a moan as he kissed her roughly.  
  
She let out a yelp of pain as his grip suddenly tightened on her waist as he lifted her into the air and carried her over to the bed. Lying on top of her, he pinned her down as he tried to force her top over her head.  
  
"No!" she cried, pulling her top back down, only to have him attack her again, this time with her shorts (she's still only dressed in her pyjamas).  
  
"NO!" she yelled and a surge of energy welled up inside her, it threw Bryan off her, slamming him backwards against the wall. Choking back tears, she pulled her clothes more firmly onto her and hugged her body, rocking back and forth on the bed.  
  
He stood up groggily and rubbed the side of his head. "That wasn't nice!" he said softly, "I'll deal with you later!" he growled and stalked out of the door, leaving it open.  
  
She shakily got to her feet and walked into the bathroom. She needed a shower to wash herself clean of him. Once she stepped under the scorching flow of water she scrubbed her skin so hard it was painful, the tears still ran freely down her face as she ceased scrubbing and slammed her fists against the tiled wall of the shower. "Dammit!" she screamed, pounding the wall with her hands, until they were bruised and bleeding. She sank to the floor of the shower and let the water wash the blood away.  
  
She had to get out of there, get away from him. She let her mind wander to the subject of Tala, and she smiled as she pictured him in her mind. 'Oh Tala, are you thinking of me too?' she mused silently.  
  
Back in the multi-coloured corridor  
  
"I see you're awake Tala" A voice sounded from the doorway. Lying in his bed, he rolled his head to one side to see Kai leaning against the door frame.  
  
"So it would seem" he said half heartedly, "what brings you to my bedside?"  
  
"I want answers" the blue haired boy said simple.  
  
"I thought as much" Tala said quietly.  
  
"How long?"  
  
"Two and a half months" Tala answered.  
  
"You have to thank Lee, you know?"  
  
"Huh?" Tala asked confused.  
  
"He saved your life last night"  
  
"Oh"  
  
Kai relayed the rest of last night's events to Tala. At the mention of Bryan vanishing with Hannah, Tala's expression darkened and he turned his gaze angrily to one side.  
  
"I'm going to kill him" he said softly.  
  
"Don't you think the rest of us want that chance too Tala, me especially, I've known her since we were children. She's my best friend Tala, what is she to you?!" Kai cried angrily.  
  
"I-I love her" Tala replied quietly, "I love her Kai"  
  
Kai was at a loss for words for a moment, until he laid a hand upon Tala's shoulder. "You love her?"  
  
"Yes, more than anything"  
  
"I never knew"  
  
"That's because no one told you! No one else knew!"  
  
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"  
  
"Because we didn't, we kept it between us and us alone!"  
  
The two fell silent for a moment until Kai broke it once more  
  
"We'll find her Tala"  
  
"Oh yes we shall!" Tala said determinedly.  
  
Before they could continue their conversation, someone yelled outside the room, yelled for everyone to come. Kai got up and walked away from the bed.  
  
"Uh Kai?"  
  
"Hn?" he called over his shoulder  
  
"Little help?" Sighing he helped the red head out of the bed and supported him out of the door and down the corridor. Only to find Kevin stood next to a girl that none of them had ever seen before.  
  
S-E: Ooh cliffie! Please review! I shall love you forever and ever! 


	20. flashbacks

S-E: w00t! Go me! I never usually update this fast, hehe I guess I'm making up for lost time.  
  
Kai: Lost time?  
  
S-E: Yeah you know, when I was on holiday and damn work experience.  
  
Kai: You're still on work experience  
  
S-E: Do you want us to duck tape you to a chair again?!  
  
Kai: O.o No...  
  
Disclaimer: S-E: owns only Raven, Hannah, Yushi, Mimi and the other new characters that are going to be introduced in this new chapter.  
  
Raven: . dammit! I wanted to do the disclaimer! Grab's S-E's forgotten inflatable mallet and chases disclaimer  
  
S-E: Hey I need that! gulps at Kai's evil expression uh oh, runs away Help!  
  
Kai: haha, now we'll see who get's duck taped to a damn chair! duck tapes S-E to chair Actually...duck tapes her mouth closed too  
  
S-E: Mmf wmmf thmmf fmmf!

"Look what I found wandering around the castle" Kevin squealed proudly.  
  
The girl stood next to him looked lost and confused. Her long strawberry red curly hair made her silver eyes stand out. A few freckles dotted about her nose and she was wearing a pair of short dungarees over a pale pink t- shirt, one of the straps undone and hanging in front of her stomach. She was pretty and she had a rose coloured beyblade gripped tightly in one hand.  
  
Yushi bounded up to her and held her hand out to the timid looking girl. "Hi I'm Yushi!" she cried excitedly.  
  
The girl looked at her out stretched hand for a moment before taking it shyly, "I'm Kes, who are all of you?"  
  
One by one they all introduced themselves, instantly making friends with the new girl.  
  
"How comes we ain't seen you before, Kes?" Enrique asked, sliding up to the new girl.  
  
"Cuz I only been here a few days, silly" Kes giggled. "I woke up this morning in my dorm, my friends gone and this on my finger" she held up her hand to reveal a small gold ring with a tiny sun on it.  
  
"Whoa, very nice" he said sweetly. Kes blushed furiously and turned away.  
  
"Have you seen anyone else Kes? Cuz we've still got a spare room here" Max said loudly, pointing down the corridor at a deep orange coloured door. Each of them had found their designated rooms last night. Dizzi had explained their situation to the new comer, who had surprisingly not been that shocked and had taken it well.  
  
"Come to think of it, I have" she said thoughtfully, "a few people actually. Three of the members from that band that were playing at the Friday dance. Delinquent Boys? I think it was, and three other girls, there could be more but I'm not sure"  
  
Enrique snickered at her version of the band name, while Robert merely rolled his eyes, muttering something about uncouthness under his breath.  
  
"Arh!" everyone suddenly turned to look Tala who was rubbing his knuckles, as though they pained him. He turned to look at them sheepishly "Sorry, just a twinge"  
  
'Oh Tala, are you thinking of me too?' a voice whispered. Tala whipped around only to find no where there.  
  
"Did you hear that?" he asked his friends.  
  
"Hear...what, Tala?" Eddy said, looking around him confused.  
  
"I thought I heard...her" he said softly.  
  
'TALA!!!!!!' the distant voice wailed in his head.  
  
"Okay, now I definitely know I heard her!" he cried. His friends looked at him as though he'd gone mad. They couldn't hear a thing. Tala stumbled towards the door back out into the main corridors of the school. He was held back by Gary.  
  
"Let me go!" he struggled against the vice like grip, "I've gotta find her!"  
  
"We don't know where she is, Tala, she could still be in the school, or in the next country for all we know" Oliver said softly, trying to calm the hysterical teen.  
  
"I'm betting on the first one" Johnny said determinately, "Kes, what did the band members you saw look like?"  
  
"Um, there was a tall blonde one, one with pale lavender hair and eyes. Oh and the lead singer"  
  
Kai's ears picked up Raven's faint intake of breath at the mention of Ozuma.  
  
"See, they're still in the school somewhere!" Tala's voice cracked as he tried to escape Gary, "We have to go now!"  
  
"Tala, what did you hear?!" Raven strode up to Tala and seized his shoulders, Gary let go and he slumped onto Raven, his injured leg crumpling beneath him.  
  
She stared straight into his tear filled eyes, "what did she say?" she said more softly.  
  
"She asked if I was thinking of her too, and then she called my name, she screamed it, Raven, she screamed it!" he seemed on the verge of breaking down.  
  
"Kai, we've got to go now" she called frantically, he simply nodded quickly and stood up.  
  
Elsewhere...again  
  
Hannah's POV  
  
When I had finished pounding the inside of the shower, I wrapped a towel around myself and went in search of fresh clothes. After raving through a few drawers I came across some clothes that fitted me perfectly. How they came to be there I didn't want to know.  
  
I dressed quickly and viewed my reflection in the mirror. I was dress in a pair of fitted black trousers, black tick soled boots came up to just below my knees, my trousers tucked inside them. I wore a three quarter length sleeve black shirt with a silver dragon on the back, over a black lace bra. The shirt laced up the front and had two pockets on the front. I also found a black leather choker that buckled around the front that was one way to protect my neck from my captor's biting antics. During my search for my outfit I had practically pulled the room apart, clothes were thrown everywhere and I'd managed to break one of the doors off the wardrobe.  
  
Settling myself on the window ledge I pulled my knees up to my chest and hugged them to me. I gazed out of the window, seeing that I was in the very top floor in the attic. I could see the forest and over the school courtyard, the bench where my friends and I had sat many times and talked was in plain view.  
  
I was so lost in my own thoughts, about my friends, life and him, I didn't even notice Bryan return.  
  
"I see you found the clothes I got for you" he said silkily in my ear, making me jump away from the window ledge and onto the bed, dropping into a fighting stance. "They suit you well" he said simply, ignoring my wary position. He disappeared into the bathroom for a few moments before waltzing back into the room.  
  
Slowly I sank down to sit on the bed, though keeping a wary eye on the lavender haired teen, lest he should attack me.  
  
"You're quiet tonight" he noted simply, dropping down into the armchair near the fire.  
  
"I have nothing to say to you" I spat.  
  
"Actually" he began, "I think you owe me an apology, for nearly completely destroying my shower and room"  
  
"So, you can't stop me doing it"  
  
"Oh yes I can, what do you suppose those are for?" he asked, pointing over my shoulder to something hidden behind the fabric of the four poster's hangings.  
  
I reached out and pulled the hangings back. A set of chain and manacles were bolted to the hall and I quickly dropped the velvet hangings back into place.  
  
"I do not want to know what you use those for" I said quickly.  
  
Bryan let out a low snicker, "that would be your punishment for what you did to me earlier, nearly damaged me you did"  
  
"I'm not going in those!" I said firmly. No way was I going to be chained up.  
  
"I think you'll find you have little choice in the matter" he leered at me, crawling onto the end of the bed while I scurried backwards until my back hit the headboard.  
  
"Kurai Hassha Suru!" I shouted, holding my hands out towards him. A soft black glow had formed around my hands and was pulsing out towards him  
  
"Uriba!" he said loudly, and the glow disappeared from my fingers, and they dropped uselessly to my sides, as though they were weighed down with lead, the same happened to my feet. I was effective pinned.  
  
"Now then, be good little girl" he sneered as he clamped the manacles shut around my wrists and ankles. He placed a rough kiss on my unwanting lips, enjoying having me squirming beneath him. "This won't take long" he smirked at me, and started pulling frantically at the laces in my shirt.  
  
"No, I don't want this, stop it!" I yelled.  
  
"But I do, and in case you've forgotten, you are mine and therefore I can do what I want with you" he gloated in between placing filthy kisses on the flesh he'd managed to uncover. I let out a tiny whimper, unable to fight back.  
  
"What's this?" he asked suddenly, "trying to hide my mark?" he ran his finger along the edge of the choker, "or are you trying to make it easier to tie you up?" he added with a smirk.  
  
I glowered at him and gave a small growl. He almost had my shirt completely off, but was struggling with the last few knots. This would buy me a little time, but it wouldn't save me from what was going to happen if I didn't stop him somehow.  
  
He unbuckled the leather collar and threw it over his shoulder, before attacking the bottom of my ear lobe with his teeth, nipping a pulling, making me cringe at his closeness. I tried to move my body as far away from him as possible, without much luck. He ran his fingers in small circles around the painful mark on my neck.  
  
"You know, I think this is starting to fade" he said, more to himself than anyone else. Without another word he dived at my neck and sank his teeth in. Arching my back I screamed out a name.  
  
"TALA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
I felt him frown against my skin. Bringing his head up he glared at me, he lunged forwards and grabbed my chin, bringing my face to only an inch away from his.  
  
"I don't want to hear his name!" he gritted out. "I want to hear my name, I want to hear you scream it!"  
  
"Never!" I spat, "I will never call your name! I would rather die then let you touch me willingly!"  
  
"But you promised you'd be mine willingly" he jutted his bottom lip out, giving me a disgusting attempt at a 'puppy dog look'. The pout dissolved into that regular smirk that graced his face.  
  
"And yet you have to tie me down so you can so much as get near me" I growled, "Face it Bryan, I will never be yours!"  
  
"Don't you remember our little conversation at the dance, cuz I can always go back and finish what I started!" he gloated.  
  
I closed my eyes, remembering what had happened during that period of time.  
  
Flashback  
  
She had gone outside to escape all of the dancing couples. Rei and Mariah, Max and Emily, Yushi and Johnny, Tyson and Hilary, hell even Raven and Ozuma, as much as she despised the boy, she envied them all. She couldn't stand it anymore, couldn't stand the fact that they all had someone and could be with them in the open while she and Tala hid away in the shadows, kept their relationship a secret. She hated knowing that she couldn't do what her friends were doing with Tala. She couldn't flaunt him around, show him off to other people or even show affection whilst others were around.  
  
She felt a sudden weight on her hip, someone resting a hand there. Her dress was still intact at this point. She leaned backwards into the unknown person. She frowned to herself, she couldn't smell vanilla, Tala always smelled of vanilla.  
  
"Tala?" she half turned, only to find the person was definitely not Tala. It was the very person she didn't want to see. Bryan.  
  
"What do you want?!" she snapped, quickly moving away from him.  
  
Bryan merely chuckled and folded his arms over his chest, "my my, you've gotten rather close to the T-man haven't ya?"  
  
'Crap!' she thought, 'I've just given myself away! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!' she scolded herself. Trying to retain as much composure as she could, she drew herself up to her full height, which was not very big.  
  
"What's it to you?" she asked casually, she subconsciously took a step backwards as his expression darkened.  
  
"More than you think, darkling" he said darkly.  
  
Hannah was getting confused, "How so? Oh don't tell me, you don't want your precious boy to get tainted by me and my friends" she said with a knowing smirk.  
  
"Not at all" he took a step towards her. Her eyes widened, she didn't like this at all, he was scaring her slightly.  
  
"What was it then?" she tried to keep the panic from her voice.  
  
Unexpectedly he lunged forwards and slammed her backwards. She let out a gasp as her back hit the stone wall behind her. His face was inches away from hers, a strange expression on his face. Sadness and pain. She'd never seen these expressions on him before, and it scared her to no end.  
  
"The fact that he has you and I don't!" he cried out. This shocked Hannah more than anything else,, she'd no idea he'd ever felt like this about her. But there was no way she could ever return his feelings.  
  
"I'm sorry Bryan, but I belong to another" she said softly, trying to pry his fingers off her shoulders.  
  
"But I can and will make you mine!" he cried, his eyes shining with glee. "And there's nothing you can do about it!" he swooped in and sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck, piercing the skin. She let out a small whimper, feeling the hot blood course down her neck and chest.  
  
"Get off me! What are you doing?!" she cried, and struggled under his grip.  
  
When he finally let go his lips were stained with blood, giving him a vampiric look. "Now you bear my mark"  
  
"Are you crazy?!" she yelled, pressing her hand to her neck.  
  
"Most likely yes, and now you are mine and there's nothing anyone can do about it!" he nearly shouted happily. "So don't even think of setting your little toy boy on me, cuz I will snap him like a twig!"  
  
She could think of nothing to say, she just stared at him incredulously. She struggled furiously as he crushed his lips against hers. She felt sick as the taste of her own blood entered her mouth, and wanted nothing more than to throw up. She could feel his hands ripping at the cords that held her dress together, in his haste he ripped one sleeve clean off. And her skirt was ripped up to her thigh on one side in his haste to get at her.  
  
Her dress was ripped and stained with blood, her hair was full of the red substance. She felt his tongue sliding along her earlobe and she wanted nothing more that to rip it out of his putrid mouth. "If you don't become mine full, I shall kill him you know" he murmured by her ear. She froze, knowing that he spoke the truth. "This is promise you" he whispered.  
  
"Yo Bry?!" A voice called from inside, he hastily stepped away from her, letting her fall to the ground in a bloody heap, surrounded by the tatters of her dress.  
  
"See you around MY darkling" he whispered as he let go of her mouth. She immediately spat, causing him to look at her in discern. "That's not nice!" he simply said and backhanded her, throwing her over to one side. He left abruptly, leaving her on the floor.  
  
After lying there for what seemed like hours, she got up and dragged herself through to the kitchens of the school, she raved through drawers until she found what she was looking for, a sharp knife.  
  
She felt dirty and lifted her hair away from her face, closing her eyes she sliced the knife through it at her shoulders, and carried on doing so until it finished unevenly at her shoulders and the sodden with blood pieces lay on the floor around her.  
  
"I give to you, The Shattered Souls!" she heard faintly in the background. Taking to her feet, she raced towards the stage area, not caring for her appearance, she would not let her friends down when they needed her.S-E: O.o omg did I really write that?! Please review! 


	21. an electrifying experience

S-E: Yo! Guess what am gunna actually include the other D-boys in this fic, yes that's right. They'll have words!  
  
Ian: we can speak? OH JOY!!!!!!!!! dances  
  
Everyone: ¬¬U  
  
Raven: That's just scary  
  
Everyone: nods  
  
Yushi: all in one breath S-E doesn't own beyblade but she does own me , Raven, Hannah, Mimi, Kes and...others! Haha you stupid disclaimer, cained!!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: cries  
  
Yushi: hehe oops

Spencer lifted his head up from the open book on his lap, he looked at Ian, who had paused his assault on the wall with a ball of crackling purple substance.  
  
"Why is someone yelling for Tala in Bryan's room" he asked the smaller teen.  
  
Ian merely shrugged, "maybe he's punching something, you know he's been mad at Tala recently"  
  
"Maybe you're right, have you even seen the T-man lately?" the blonde asked. He sighed when Ian shook his head. "I guess he'll turn up sooner or later"  
  
"Hn, he's been an annoying git recently so if he stays away from me for a while he'll be fine"  
  
Spencer merely shook his head at his friends attitude and returned his attention to the book. He hadn't gotten to the end of the page when Bryan came storming down the corridor, narrowly avoiding Ozuma who was walking slowly the other way.  
  
He was still sulking about the dance, about what Raven had said to him  
  
Flashback  
  
"Hey babe" Ozuma whispered in the black haired girl's ear, wrapping his arms around her waist. She brushed him off and walked away to stand about two feet away. He gave her a hurt look but she countered it with a glare.  
  
"Don't!"  
  
"Don't what, what have I done?" he asked innocently, trying to look wrongly accused.  
  
"You know exactly what you've done, and yet you have the nerve to lie to me!" she spat in his face, anger flaring in her icy blue orbs.  
  
"Oh," he said slowly, a worried expression forming across his perfect features.  
  
"Oh? OH?! Is that all you've got to say?!" she thundered, "you told me you loved me, and five minutes later I find you in the arms of another girl!"  
  
"Raven, I-" he began, he took hold of her arms in an attempt o calm her down, she pulled her arms out of his grasp and glared at him. He could see the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.  
  
"No, don't" she stuttered, "I'm not going to ask you why you did it, cuz there's no reason you can give me that is enough to forgive you" she said forlornly.  
  
"I-I'm sorry" he said weakly.  
  
"It's too late, Ozuma, I thought you loved me" the tears were leaving shimmering trails down her cheeks now. "But you lied, and you played me and I can't believe I ever fell for you, my friends were right, Kai was right"  
  
"Kai?"  
  
"Yes, he told me all about you, he said he couldn't bear it if I got hurt" she said softly, "but I couldn't see that, and it's all your fault that they argued with me!"  
  
Before he could say anything more, she had pushed her way through the crowd and ran blindly away. He didn't try to follow her, he wouldn't be able to catch her. He'd lost her  
  
End Flashback  
  
God he felt awful, he couldn't understand it. He'd done this before, he'd broken dozens of girl's hearts, why did this one shake him up. He stopped walking as realisation hit him, he'd broken one of the main rules of being a player. Never fall for your conquests.  
  
Elsewhere  
  
Hannah was bored, she didn't want to be there, and she was chained to a fricking bed! Bryan had gone out again, so she was just sat on the vast bed, idly flinging balls of dark energy at the open doorway, watching them half heartedly melt against the shimmering barrier. She's been doing this for over an hour and even destroying things was getting boring.  
  
With nothing better to do, she curled up on her side and slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
In the courtyard  
  
"We've searched everywhere!" Yushi wailed in despair. Tala, who had seemingly been getting stronger by the moment, ran around them.  
  
"Come on! She's got to be around here somewhere!"  
  
While he ranted madly, Emily looked at Kai curiously, he was staring upwards. She followed his gaze and rested it on the roof of the school.  
  
"uh, Kai?"  
  
"Hn" he grunted  
  
"Watcha looking at?"  
  
"I have an idea" he said simply, he turned to Tala.  
  
"Tala, come on!" he yelled and took off towards the building, Tala dashed after him, the two of them leaving the group behind.  
  
"Hey wait!" Riah started after them, but stopped as she ran into Rei's outstretched arm. "Hey!" she pouted.  
  
"This is something that only they can do, Riah" Johnny said soothingly, "we'd only get in the way"  
  
"Yeah but!" she began but was silenced by Max's stern look.  
  
"None of us are happy about it Riah" Tyson said loudly, "but what can we do?" he dropped dejectedly down onto a bench and stared up at the sky. He watched the birds lazily roll around in the sky, and wondered what it was like to fly.  
  
Raven decided to occupy her time by hurling small lumps of ice at the roof top. Grr why couldn't she be up there with them?! She was a good a fighter as them! She was so pissed off at them, well not Kai, but Tala...she had no idea why she was so pissed off with Tala. She was surprised that she wasn't mad at Kai too, although she cast her mind back to the kiss they had almost shared.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Why are you crying Raven?" his voice had broken through her trance and she looked up at him with tearful eyes. She then buried her face in her skirt as she pulled her knees up to her chest.  
  
She didn't want to talk to anyone right now, but Kai was either persistent or as dense as a brick, she was voting on the first one.  
  
"Is it Ozuma?!" he demanded, dropping to the floor beside her, "What did he do?!"  
  
She couldn't speak, so she flung her arms around Kai's neck and buried her face in his shoulder.  
  
"Oh Kai, I'm so sorry, I should have listened to you" she said in between hiccups, "you were right, and I was too blind to see it" she spluttered.  
  
Kai just rubbed her back soothingly, muttering softly in her ear. After what seemed hours, she pulled away from him and wiped the tears onto one of her sleeves. "Who knew you had a soft side Kai?" she chuckled slightly.  
  
"Not many people" he smiled at her. "Who knew you could cry"  
  
She snorted with laughter, "When I first met you, I thought you were just a arrogant git, with no care for anyone but himself" upon noticing his shocked expression, she smiled, "But I was so wrong, you've changed so much"  
  
He merely gave her a wry grin, and said slyly. "I had a reason to change" he leaned towards her, the distance between their lips closing fast.  
  
"Kai! Come on man we're on!" Tyson's impatient voice caused the two to rip apart.  
  
"Guess I gotta go" Kai shrugged, he flashed her a smile as he clambered to his feet and walked off to the stage.  
  
"Wait" she called out, he turned on his heel to look at her, "what did you mean you had a reason to change?"  
  
He merely gave her an un-Kai-like lopsided grin, "you'll see" and he disappeared into the crowd. Raven picked herself up off the floor and pulled a small mirror out of a hidden pocket on her skirt. When she was satisfied with her fixed make up and successfully flattened her hair to her head. She made her way to the crowd that had gathered in the 'pit'.  
  
Kai was stood at the front, looking devilishly handsome in his button down shirt and fitted black trousers. Every girl in the crowd was close to fainting, even Raven, who knew he could be so...hot?!  
  
He leaned casually backwards and muttered something in Rei's ear. The guitarist's face lit up in a huge grin and he nodded enthusiastically. He walked over to Kenny and relayed the message; he merely nodded and pressed down on the keyboard, signifying the beginning of the song. One by one the other band members added their own music into the mix. Kai leaned on the microphone stand, tapping his foot to the beat.  
  
i"I'm not a perfect person,

There's many things I wish I didn't do,

But I continue learning,

I never meant to do those things to you  
  
And so I have to say before I go..."  
  
"That I just want you to know,

I found a reason for me,

To change who I used to be,

A reason to start over new,

And the reason is you..."  
  
"I'm sorry that I hurt you

It's something I must live with everyday,

And all the pain I put you through,

I wish that I could take it all away,

And be the one who catches all your tears..."  
  
i/He was looking right at her, his eyes never leaving hers. Crimson burned into ice blue.  
  
i"That's why I need you to hear,

I've found a reason for me,  
  
To change who I used to be,  
  
A reason to start over new,  
  
and the reason is You..."  
  
"I'm not a perfect person,  
  
I never meant to do those things to you,  
  
And so I have to say before I go,  
  
That I just want you to know..."  
  
"I've found a reason for me,  
  
To change who I used to be,  
  
A reason to start over new,  
  
and the reason is you..."  
  
"I've found a reason to show,  
  
A side of me you didn't know,  
  
A reason for all that I do,  
  
And the reason is you" i/His voice trailed away and he smiled at her. Raven was kicking herself inside, why hadn't she seen this? How long had she been too blind to see it? Was this the real reason behind him being so against Ozuma? Questions bounced around her head like deflating balloons. And he had nearly kissed her! Damn stupid Tyson and his bad timing.  
  
End Flashback  
  
"Um, Raven?" Emily's voice pierced her torrent of thoughts.  
  
"Hn?" she half turned to look at the orange haired girl, she fidgeted nervously under the smaller girl's harsh look.  
  
"Um well I was kind of hoping, that you could help me train my powers a little" she asked nervously, clasping her hands in front of her.  
  
"Sure" Raven's grim expression lifted into a grin, "I want you to focus on that tree, and send out a little, just a little! Electricity, just enough to shake a few leaves off" She stood behind her friend and held her arms out in front of her.  
  
Emily closed her eyes and a few sparks began to form on her fingertips.  
  
"Concentrate" Raven urged, she was pleased Emily was getting the hang of this so quickly.  
  
Emily's face screwed up in concentration, letting out a yell a huge bolt streaked out of her palms and hit the tree full force. Emily was thrown backwards and landed behind the bench.  
  
Max ran towards her, but Oliver and Johnny held him back.]  
  
"Hey what's the big idea?!" he demanded, struggling to get to his girlfriend.  
  
"You wanna get yourself fried?" Johnny chuckled.  
  
"Your power is water, and you'll get electrocuted" Oliver told him gently, the green haired boy had always had a softer approach to situations, now was no different.  
  
Emily had pulled herself up on the bench. Hr hair was standing up on end and her glasses were askew, a dazed look danced in her eyes. "Whoa..." was all she managed to say before collapsing backwards onto Enrique. The lightning spread from her fingers and shocked Enrique and he dropped to the floor in a dizzy heap. Kes ran to his side immediately, cradling his head in her lap. Rique seemed to enjoy the attention. Steve caught Emily as she toppled again.  
  
"Hey how comes you're not getting fried?" Max's voice broke out, looking confused at the goings on. He was silenced as the green haired boy held up his hand, for on it a small lightning shaped ring flashed on his hand.  
  
"Electricity man, I suggest you stay away from Sparky here for a while" Steve laughed, as occasional lights would crackle around the unconscious girl. Max looked upset because he couldn't do anything but he knew it was for the best.  
  
The tree 'Sparky' had used for target practice was leaping high in flames, the smoke billowing upwards into the sky.  
  
"Now this I can fix" Max said brightly, he shot two jets of water out from his palms, dousing the flames in a few seconds. Tyson, who had seemingly fallen asleep on his bench, woke up spluttering as he was drenched with water.  
  
"Hey!" he cried loudly, he then looked confusedly at his surroundings. "What the hell went on here?!"  
  
Hilary glared at him, "How could you sleep at a time like this Tyson?!" she thundered, engaging the two of them in one of their infamous rows. Everyone else just sweatdropped and went about occupying themselves some more until the others returned, with or without Hannah.  
  
S-E: So...what ya think? PLEASE REVIEW?!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cuz im ill at the moment and I need cheering up...  
  
Raven: Sometimes I'm glad I'm so cynical, I'm never like that...  
  
S-E: What's that got to do with anything?  
  
Raven:...I don't actually know...


	22. rescue me

S-E: I'm back my darklings...and still feeling icky...oh well...I SHALL SURVIVE! breaks down into coughing fit Enjoy..gasp the fic! dies

* * *

After spending many an hour sat on the roof of the school, Kai wove his way up the twisting stairs that led up to the attic, Tala hot on his heels. Both boys were panting slightly as they tripped over the top step and scrambled back to their feet. They took a moment to take in the change in the attic. It was now divided into a long corridor which branch off into five rooms, even with a large leisure area spread out at the beginning of the corridor. Books were abandoned on the arms of big soft arm chair. Playstation games were scattered all over the place and instruments were stacked in a corner. And yet no Demolition Boys.  
  
A muffled cry in the background made them snap back to reality, they looked at each other and took off in the direction the sound had come from. "Hannah!" Kai cried out as he ran, Tala too, trying to figure out which door she was behind.  
  
-Inside the room-  
  
"Hannah!" she heard the two voices cry out clearly from somewhere outside. Her cry was muffled by the rough hand clamped over her mouth, it's owner looking sharply at the door with piercing lavender eyes, his lips drawn back in a snarl. She pulled frantically at the chains attached to her hands, hoping to make a loud enough sound. Her legs were once again weighed down by the strange magic Bryan was using.  
  
The boy pinning her to the bed glared at her and silence the chains by wrapping his free hand around them, still flattening her legs to the bed with his own. Taking her chance she bit down on his hand and when he yelped and pulled his hand back, she yelled out.  
  
"Kai! Tala!" she screamed, her voice laced with desperation.  
  
The door burst open at that moment and the two teens in question barged in. Bryan leapt off the bed to face them, his teeth bared in anger.  
  
"Do you mind?!" he spat angrily, "we were kinda in the middle of something" he gave them a leery grin and gestured to the shackled girl in a state of undress on the bed.  
  
"You Bastard!" Tala screeched, launching himself at the lavender haired boy in a whirlwind of fists and kicks, knocking him down to the floor. Kai immediately conjured up a ball of fire in his hand, only to have it knocked out of his hand by one of Bryan's flailing legs, he hissed in annoyance and stepped backwards as Tala flew past his shoulder. Bryan rose into the air, his eyes shadowed by his hair, an evil look inhabiting his features.  
  
"Thought you could beat me, boys?" he said darkly, "well think again and I'm going to kill you both here and now...and she's going to watch!" he pointed at Hannah and threw his head back, laughing like a madman. His laughter was cut short as something small, black and glowing smacked into the side of his head, rendering him unconscious. Both teens turned their heads to look incredulously at the gothic teen, who had somehow managed to fix her clothing.  
  
She was breathing heavily, still sprawled out of the massive bed. "No I'm bloody well not!" she ground out quietly. The other dark ball she had conjured around her other hand exploded into a puff of coiling smoke as she closed her fingers around it.  
  
"Are you two going to stare at me all day or get me the hell out of these things?!" she held up her manacled hands and shot them a warning look. Being locked in a room with a psycho who seemed intent of having her for 3 days had not improved her mood, not that she wasn't glad to see them.  
  
Once she was free of the cold shackles she rubbed her wrists ruefully, she didn't do this to her ankles seeing as she had no feeling her whatsoever.  
  
"Can you walk?" Tala's voice whispered in her ear. She shrugged her shoulders and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Pushing her body off the satin sheets, her legs gave way beneath her and she crumpled to the floor.  
  
"I'd take that as a no" Kai's voice said monotonously. Nodding, Tala scooped her up into his strong arms and followed Kai down the stairs. She buried her face in his chest and he held her close. Although no words were shared between them, Kai knew that no words could describe what they were feeling right now. He allowed a slow smile to creep across his face, maybe they didn't make such a bad couple after all.  
  
When the three emerged from the building, they arrived to find all of their friends lying on the floor in a state of exhaustion. Pulling Raven into his arms as he walked past, Kai looked confused at the comatose group. "What happened here?"  
  
Raven's eyelids fluttered open to look at him lazily, "we've been practicing our powers, I'd say we got 'em covered now" she drawled slowly. After attempting to stifle a huge yawn, she snuggled down into his arms. "I'd like to sleep now" she muttered softly, and promptly drifted into the land of dreams in Kai's arms.  
  
He slowly picked his way through the tangle of sleeping bodies until he came to a flame haired boy. Nudging him with his foot until the Scottish teen groaned and rolled over.  
  
"What?" He moaned loudly, clearly annoyed at having to move.  
  
"You do realise how exposed to danger you all are?" Kai asked haughtily, quirking an eyebrow. Johnny leapt to his feet.  
  
"Holy Moly! You're right!" he exclaimed, "We gotta get em all inside" He ran around kicking people into life, urging them onwards.  
  
About 10 minutes later they were all safely back in their rainbow corridor. Gary had had to carry both Enrique and Kevin over his massive shoulders; they just couldn't summon the energy to move.  
  
Yushi and Johnny were the last to enter, closing the door to the school behind them, they staggered down the corridor to a room with a midnight blue door, holding onto each other for support.  
  
"Whoa who knew that could be so exhausting!" Yushi cried as she flopped down onto her bed next to the red head.  
  
"Less talk more sleep" Johnny murmured as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. She let out a brief giggle before relaxing against him, the two of them snuggled next to each other like a pair of spoons. Johnny's soft snores soon drifted from the room.

* * *

After depositing Raven on the satin baby blue covers Kai turned to leave the room. He quickly turned when a soft whimper emitted from the sleeping girl. Her eyes were tightly closed and she rolled onto her side, curled up into a small ball as though trying to protect herself from something. She almost rolled right out of her bed, but the blue haired Russian was there to stop her and roll her back into it.  
  
Kai sank into the arm chair next to the bed. He was suddenly overcome by fatigue and he closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. He let out a soft groan. Everything was aching, even his hair hurt.  
  
He meant to only close his eyes for a few minutes. But he drifted into a deep and dreamless sleep.

* * *

In Hannah's room down the corridor, she was sleeping in the large bed, blissfully dreaming of ways to get revenge on Bryan.  
  
Tala however, was wide awake, he watched his love sleep as though she would disappear before his eyes. He would not sleep this night.

* * *

Hilary had literally dragged Tyson, with the help of Michael and Lee, up the stairs and into his room. It was all his fault that she was so tired. He's managed to create a whirlwind in the middle of the courtyard, and of course, it had been her who'd had to stop it, and now this!  
  
'If he wasn't so cute when he's sleeping I would kill him here and now' she thought absentmindedly. She allowed herself a soft smile as she placed a kiss upon his cheek before withdrawing to her own room, where she was asleep as soon as her head had hit the pillow.

* * *

Emily, Max, Riah, Rei, Oliver and Kenny hadn't even made it as far as their rooms. They were sprawled out on the soft armchairs and beanbags that were scattered throughout the living area of their small complex hidden behind one door. All were sleeping peacefully, there was even the sound of gentle breathing floating out of her speakers. Who knew she did that? Rei was purring softly, did he even know that he purred. He's more cat-like than you think.  
  
Everybody else had made it to their own or their friend's rooms. This would make Tala and Robert the only ones awake. Tala was guarding Hannah as though his life depended upon it. And Robert was keeping watch, and brooding. As he often does.  
  
The next morning everyone's heads turned as Tala trudged into the dining area of their world. He looked totally knackered, and basically awful.  
  
"How's Hannah?" Rei asked immediately.  
  
"Sleeping" the red head mumbled, sitting down next to Johnny.  
  
"You look like shit man" The Scottish boy told him directly, munching on a bowl of cornflakes.  
  
"I know, I didn't sleep much" Tala propped his head up on his hand and ran the other through his ruffled hair. "Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Hannah being snatched away again by that fucking bastard!"  
  
"Whoa," Lee whistled slowly, "You'd think Hannah would be the one to get dreams like that"  
  
"You'd think so" Tala's voice trailed away and his head dropped to the table, cushioned by his arm. A moment later his head shot up again with a gasp.  
  
"I see what you mean" Lee said wistfully.  
  
"You need to sleep Tala, you can't even stand" Yushi said sternly, she pulled him up from the table and pushed him along the corridor, coming to a stop outside the white door.  
  
She looked up at his face and saw his eyes locked on the door to Hannah's room. "I don't wanna leave her by herself" he told her in a hushed voice.  
  
She gave him a small smile, and opened the black door pushing him inside. She closed the door behind him, smiling softly to herself.  
  
Inside the room Tala sat the edge of the bed next to the sleeping girl and yawned widely.  
  
"Sleep Tala" a soft voice whispered beside him, and before he could turn his head he dropped onto the sheets, peacefully asleep. Hannah smiled and pulled him close to her.

* * *

Kai woke up to the feeling of someone gently prodding his arm. Cracking one eyelid open he found that Raven was perched on the arm of the chair, poking him.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked gruffly, his voice taking her by surprise. She wobbled and fell from her perch with a bump.  
  
"Ow" she glared resolutely up at him. She rubbed her back ruefully, aww great now she was gunna get a bruise! Oh joy!  
  
"Watcha doin' in my room?" she chirped, climbing back onto the bed.  
  
"Stopping you from rolling out of bed" he said monotonously.  
  
"Well that's funny, I thought you was sleeping" she grinned. He arched an eyebrow and then gave her a smirk.  
  
"Well since we are here, I think I have a request" he sighed loudly when she blinked blankly, and yanked her backwards to sit on his knees. She started blushing furiously and squirmed uncomfortably.  
  
Kai's nose was less than an inch away from hers, "Where were we before then?"  
  
Finally understanding what he was getting at, she hooked her arms around his neck and shifted herself into a more comfortable position.  
  
"Well I would say we were in the great hall..." she said, her voice trailing off as she licked her lips.  
  
"Raven!" A voice yelled through the door, someone's fists pounding on the wood. "Breakfast!"  
  
"Coming Eddy!" she yelled back, climbing off Kai's lap with a sigh.  
  
"Come on you, out" she said stoutly, "I need to change" she looked at him sharply as he raised one slate coloured brow. "No. Out!" she commanded, pointing to the door.  
  
"As you wish" he got to his feet in a fluid motion. He stopped at the door and gave her a low bow, before leaving the room gracefully.  
  
"Stupid Eddy" she muttered as she raved through her wardrobe.  
  
When she walked into the kitchen 10 minutes later, she found the gang all sat around Kenny and Dizzi.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked loudly, making several people jump.  
  
"Oh hey Raven," Kenny waved cheerfully, "Dizzi's just scanning the area"  
  
"Um, for what?" she dropped down into one of the chairs opposite him. She took the apple that was offered to her by a smiling Oliver.  
  
"Well, I don't actually know," Kenny shoved his glasses further back onto his nose, "Just anything unusual"  
  
"Is there anything usual still around?" Dizzi quipped from the laptop. This earned a few giggles and snorts.  
  
"So, anything..._unusual_...show up?"

* * *

Waah! You like you hate? please reveiw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 


	23. enter flames

S-E: Wowie! I got some good reviews for the last chapter...even though I hated it. I got an especially long one from tempest lover...I think I spelt that right. That was fun to read! Thanks for taking the time to write it for me   
  
Raven: Ahoy, waves  
  
Yushi: Why are you doing that?  
  
Raven: shrugs and carries on waving  
  
S-E: What's going to happen this chapter? Are Raven and Kai finally going to get their kiss? What problems will a huge storm bring? Who knows? Read and find out...and then review please! Somebody wanted this:  
  
Kai: Major Fire

Raven: Major Ice

Yushi: Major Moon

Johnny: Major Sun

Emily: Major Electricity

Max: Major Water

Mariah: Major Energy

Rei: Major Serenity

Hilary: Major Earth

Tyson: Major Air

Hannah: Major Dark

Tala: Major Light

Lee: Major Dark

Kestrel: Minor Sun

Enrique: Minor Energy

Steve: Minor Electricity

Kenny: Minor Light

Eddy: Minor Water

Gary: Minor Air

Kevin: Minor Earth

Michael: Minor Moon

Robert: Minor Ice

Oliver: Minor Serenity

New Character: Minor Fire...you'll learn her name in this chapter.

* * *

"Well the only odd thing I detected was the massive storm that's heading our way, even though that's not actually odd..." Kenny's voice trailed away as he came to realise that he was babbling aimlessly.  
  
"A storm, huh?" Raven seemed to ponder this for a moment. "Cool!" she cried, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "I can't wait!" she literally bounced up and down in her seat.  
  
"Wow you sure are excited" Mariah remarked from her seat on Rei's lap. "Anyone would think you've never seen a storm before" she chuckled, but then face faulted when the black haired girl gave her a blank stare.  
  
"Ah, you should'a seen that one coming Riah" Rei said loudly, laughing at the looks on the two girl's faces. Raven was so confused she couldn't even blink straight. And Riah was attempting to hold in her laughter and stay on Rei's lap, this resulted in her whole body shuddering with laughter.  
  
The laughter suddenly broke out of her and rang out in peals. She fell off Rei's knees, and rolled around on the floor, clutching her stomach. "You look so funny!" she spluttered through giggles.  
  
Raven had regained her blinking ability and huffily jammed her arms over her chest, scowling at the pink haired girl. "It's not my fault that I can't remember whether or not I've ever seen a storm before is it?!" she demanded crossly.  
  
"Ok ok," Mariah choked, gulping in air as she calmed herself down. She was pulled back up onto Rei's lap, "I guess you're right, I'm sorry" She sounded so ashamed of herself that Raven couldn't find it in her heart to not forgive her there and then.  
  
"It's ok Riah," she patted the girl tentatively on the shoulder, "I guess I was kinda harsh"  
  
"Oh well!" Her golden eyes lit up and her face split into a huge grin, "no harm done eh?" she pulled Raven into a bone crushing hug.  
  
"Riah...can't...breathe!" she choked out, waving her arms around in the hope that someone would notice and help her out.  
  
"Uh, Riah? I think you need to let go now" Rei sad gently in her ear, carefully prying the long nailed fingers off the smaller girl. Raven immediately scrambled away to a safe distance, gasping slightly to regain the air she had lost. Riah turned bright pink and muttered an apology.  
  
"Hey where's Ems and Maxie?" Raven asked once she was sure she could speak again.  
  
"They went out to find some more wood for the fire in the living room" said Kevin, "But they're gunna get soaked cuz it's chucking it down!" he added gleefully, gee didn't he like to see other people's discomfort.  
  
As if on cue, the door burst open to reveal a totally drenched Emily and Max, both had their arms full of mainly dry wood. Emily's face had a thunderous look about it as she stormed through the kitchen, dropped the wood onto a pile. Water was streaming from her hair, "There!" she declared, "Achooee!" she sneezed loudly, toppling backwards onto her bottom. She let out a sigh and got to her feet, running from the room in search of towels and warmth.  
  
"Eh, she got a little...wet" Max grinned sheepishly as he edged sideways through the door, trying to keep hold of the massive pile of wood. "and a bit grumpy"  
  
"So we see" Robert said coldly as he took some of the wood from Max's overloaded arms. They both deposited the wood on the growing pile and left in search of the bedraggled girl. Just follow the sneezes.  
  
"Is Hannah awake yet?" Lee asked suddenly  
  
"No I don't think so, I'll go check" Riah got up from the table and walked out of the room, Rei following close behind.  
  
They walked along the corridor hand in hand, pausing outside the white door.  
  
"I think we should check on Tala first" Rei said quietly, and knocked on the door gently, then turning the handle and both of them sticking their heads around the door.  
  
"No one in there..." Riah mused softly.  
  
She turned and tapped on the black door opposite. She and Rei then poked their head's into the room once again, Riah sucked her breath in sharply. She felt Rei squeeze her hand gently.  
  
Hannah was sat cross-legged on the bed in a pair of soft silk black pyjamas. Tala's head and shoulders were pulled into her lap, while she rocked gently back and forth. She raised her eyes to meet the two Chinese bladers, and gave them a soft smile. She raised a finger to her lips and said, "Shhh"  
  
You could just see the top of the bandage that was wrapped all around Hannah's chest and stomach and over her shoulder, through the gap in her shirt. The bruise around her eye was fading fast but the bite mark still glared angrily on her neck. The few scratches and cuts on her face were nearly healed now, just faint red marks in the flickering light from the candles surrounding her bed.  
  
They pulled their heads back around the door and clicked it shut. Riah was grinning widely as she enveloped Rei in a bear hug. "She's alright!" she whispered in his ear, "I was so worried about her" Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears of happiness as Rei wrapped his arms around her gently, giving her a reassuring hug and a kiss on the cheek.  
  
Hand in hand, they headed back to the kitchen.  
  
"Well?" Johnny demanded.  
  
"Is she awake?" Kestrel said quietly.  
  
"Is he asleep?" Enrique asked jokingly.  
  
"No and Yes, they're both asleep" Riah half lied. "So no one disturb them!" she stated sternly, shooting a warning glance around the room.

* * *

About an hour later, Max was still looking for a certain bespectacled girl. "Ems?" he called, decided to check her room for the millionth time. This time he heard a faint thud from inside, not thinking, he ran straight into the room. He found the girl in question collapsed in a heap on the floor. Rushing to her side he half lifted her into his arms. She had a fever, her skin was cold and clammy and her breathing was shallow. Her glasses were on the floor about a foot away from her outstretched fingertips.  
  
"Guys! Emily's sick!"  
  
Rushing to the room, Michael literally fell through the door, in his hurry. Emily was like a little sister to him, and when he saw her lying in Max's arms, deathly pale, he almost fainted.  
  
"What happened?!" he demanded  
  
"I'd say someone's been out in the rain" a sarcastic voice sliced through the tension in the air. Both boys whipped their head's around to see a girl stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame casually with a tiny ball of flames idly playing along her fingertips.  
  
She was dressed in a pair of dirty denim cropped jeans, the ends all frayed and straggling threads. A copper shirt was buttoned loosely over a black vest top. The shirt looked far too big. Her trainers had red flames racing down the side of them. Her face was extremely pretty, with brown eyes and red lips. Her hair was blonde at the top, and then blended to red in the middle before fading into black tips.  
  
"Who are you?" Michael demanded, clearly confused.  
  
"Name's Blaze little boy" she flashed him a grin, and walked over to the pair. "And I can fix your little broken doll here" She extinguished the flame by snapping her fingers shut on it, as though to emphasize her point.

* * *

Gah...I'm so sorry it's so short I'm just running out of time here, I promise you'll have another chapter very very soon. Well I introduced Blaze at last, I own her too.  
  
Blaze: Hey I'm nobody's pet!  
  
S-E: No you're just my creation. MWAHAHA!  
  
Blaze: Um...yeh.  
  
S-E: Don't argue with me, threatens with lighter  
  
Blaze: raises eyebrow" Is that supposed to scare me?  
  
S-E: Hehe...brandishes hose  
  
Blaze: . Please not that...please no...I don't like water...please be spare me!  
  
S-E: Be good then!  
  
Blaze: shuts up


	24. Don't Go Out Alone

S-E: ; heh heh nervous laugh holy cow guys...it has been a while hasn't it...; ducks random objects

Kai: you don't say...You've been neglecting us...

S-E: aww does poor Kai feel ignored? glomps Kai

Kai: GET OFF ME! hits S-E over head with hammer

S-E: .

Kai: pokes her with stick er...Soulful? You need to do the disclaimer...

S-E: .

Kai: sighs I guess I'll have to do it takes piece of paper out of Soulful-Eye's hand...Soulful-Eyes does not own Beyblade or any of its characters...thank god! She does however own Raven, Hannah, Yushi, Kestrel, Blaze and Mimi. If you do read her stories, please be kind and leave a review...what the hell?! who wrote this crap?! throws sheet over his shoulder and leaves room

S-E: .

Mysterious Voice: Enjoy the fic!

* * *

Johnny slowly opened the door to Yushi's room and peered inside. The girl in question was tangled so deeply within the bed clothes it was impossible to tell which end her head was. The covers rose and fell as the breath entered and left her body. He walked over to the bed.

"Yush?" he whispered softly. Nothing.

"Yushi?" he called a bit louder. The tangle twitched slightly but then became still once more.

He reached forwards and poked the lump in what he hoped was her side. The lump gave a strangled yelp and rolled off the edge on the bed. Landing with a thud, a low groan emitted from the tangled mess.

Johnny clambered over the bed and hung over the side, balanced Yushi, trying to find an opening in the seemingly endless swathes of cloth. It was like a cocoon!

Finally finding an edge, Johnny pulled the silky restraints aside, to reveal the sleepy face of Yushi. Cracking one eye open, she quickly closed it. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she yawned loudly.

"Ohayo" she murmured sleepily, wriggling luxuriously inside the soft confinement.

A grin lit up on Johnny's face. "Wakey wakey sleeping beauty" he called softly. She wriggled back down into the covers, burying her face.

"Go 'way" came the muffled reply, barely audible.

"Not a morning person are we?" Johnny teased, grinning as he pulled

Sending a scathing look in his direction, he looked different today, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, dismissing it, she wriggled herself upright into a sitting position, her back against the bed and her limbs still trapped within the swathes of fabric. Johnny propped his head up on her shoulder and wrapped both arms around her torso. She scowled at the wall, not appreciating the bumpy wake up call.

"Such a mean look" he laughed in her ear, the scowl intensifying, as though she could burn a hole through the wall with her gaze.

* * *

A few hours, bumps and bruises later

"What are you doing here Blaze?" A question sounded in the room, "I thought you'd left"

The girl in question turned to face a small boy with lime green hair and violet eyes.

"What's that matter Ollie? Not pleased to see me?" she chirped, a grin spread across her face.

Oliver merely smiled at her and nodded. "And from the looks of things you haven't changed much" he tipped his head in the direction of Michael, who was rubbing his head ruefully. She threw a brilliant smile in his direction, at which he glared coldly.

"Not very friendly is he?" she said loudly to Oliver

"Was it really necessary to hit him Blaze? All he did was try to introduce himself" Oliver smiled weakly, sending a look of sympathy towards Michael. That bump would take a few days to go down. He knew from first hand experience how hard Blaze's smacks were. He winced at the memories.

"How was I supposed to know what he was doing? I thought he was gonna attack me!" She proclaimed loudly. She thought everyone was going to attack her in some way.

Michael stood up angrily "Why would I attack you!? You just helped my friend! I'm not going to hurt anyone, even if they are as annoying and dangerous as you!"

Blaze's soft brown eyes widened dramatically, and her bottom lip began to quiver. "You think I'm annoying?" She said quietly, her voice sounding hurt. "Y-you don't like me?" There were tears threatening to fall from those light brown pools and they glistened in the light.

She suddenly attached herself to his waist, holding on tightly. "I'm so sorry!" she wailed, her eyes squeezed shut and her cheeks shining, "I never meant to hurt you Michael!" Michael had a look of positive terror on his face, as though she might turn around and hit him.

"Um, i-its ok really!" he stammered, patting her nervously on the back.

Everyone else in the room just watched the new girl in fascination, one minute she was acting as though nothing could faze her, and the next she was crying because someone had said they didn't like her.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shouted at you" Michael said warmly, trying to pry the girl from his waist. This was new ground to Michael, he wasn't used to trying to console girls.

She turned glittering eyes towards him and smiled happily, her eyes curving upwards. It was almost sweet. Almost.

She whirled around and smacked him lightly upside his head, the momentum was enough to send his baseball cap spiralling up into the air and him crashing to the floor. Raven winced at the thud, it wasn't particularly helping her headache to ease, and she was sure Kai had noticed her tension.

Blaze caught the spinning cap as it began to plummet back down, and jammed it onto her head backwards. "Damn right you shouldn't have yelled" she stated coolly as she glanced at him through the corner of her eyes.

Yushi ran to Michael's side as he tried to lift himself up off the ground. And Max had felt a flinch run through Emily's recovering body as her brother figure had slammed against the floor. He didn't know exactly what Blaze had done while they were in there, but it had worked and Emily was getting better quickly.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Michael snapped angrily, "I apologise and you hit me!"

The flame haired girl grinned at him and adjusted the hat on her head. "Yah, so? You're such a sucker! It was hilarious!" She cackled. "You honestly didn't think I was really crying did you? You have just been played mon ami!"

Michael felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment as he realised she was right. He tried to regain his composure and shook his maroon hair out of his eyes. "That's mine" he remarked simply, gesturing to the baseball cap perched on Blaze's head.

"Mine now" she sighed, "suits me better" she declared, flashing a 500 watt smile in his direction. He managed to suppress a growl as he stood up, looking down on the smaller girl.

"Give" he said darkly, and glared at her when she stuck her tongue out at him. His hand shot out and grabbed her tongue.

"ARG! Leggo!" she squirmed, Raven was only able to pick out a few words in the warped English.

"Hat then" Michael said firmly, and released her tongue as soon as his fingers closed around the cap.

She glowered at him and twirled her tongue around the inside of her mouth experimentally. She then flicked a tiny fireball at the back of his head as he turned away, only to have it frozen in midair in a tiny chip of ice, just centimetres away from his head. It shattered as it hit the floor.

Blaze looked angrily at the source of the block. Raven. "What was that for?!"

Raven sighed, and rubbed her temples, "You don't use your powers on friends" The constant thudding at the back of her head was intensifying with each passing minute.

"Aww but I wanna play" a pout graced her lips as she rolled a larger fireball around her fingertips playfully, she tossed it at Raven, who immediately dispelled it, before it had even gotten ten centimetres from Blaze's hand. 'She's fast' she thought, 'let's see how fast'

She began to toss the miniature fireballs in all directions at top speed, watching as they dropped to the floor as ice chips before you could say bleeding hell.

"Stop it!" Raven said sharply as Yushi ducked to avoid a rogue burning sphere, sailing over her head.

"Why?" Blaze laughed, "This is fun!"

"Enough!" she yelled and threw her hands forward, locking Blaze's hands in a solid lump of ice. Thus quenching the fireball. Blaze's frozen hands dropped uselessly in front of her as she let out a shriek of surprise and anger.

Raven stormed from the main room, seeking the solitude and silence of her bedroom. She left her argumentative team mates behind her and closed the pale blue door behind her. She leaned her back against it and sighed. She stood there in the dark room, rubbing her temples and revelling in the silence.

She ran her fingers lightly over the black stars under her left eye, and let her hand drop to her side. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out a dark figure sat on the chair next to her satin covered bed. She didn't panic, she knew who it was.

"How'd you get here before me?" she chuckled lightly, smiling at the shadowed figure. She walked across the room and flopped down onto her bed. "No Kai, leave the light off" she said quietly.

The teen dropped his hand down from where it had been reaching towards the bedside lamp.

He dropped down onto the bed beside her, she rested her head on his shoulder and let out a groan, "she's so loud"

A smile rose to his lips, "Hm, you get used to it...you should take some painkillers you know"

"And where do you suppose I get those from? We have no medical supplies, apart from the bandages Hannah's got" She scoffed quietly.

"I'll go get some if you want? There's gotta be some in matron's" Kai suggested wistfully, "Besides, I think we'll all need some with Blaze around"

She chuckled at his joke, "yeah true, besides it's your fault I have this headache anyway, making me fall off the chair"

"Well sorry, what were you even doing perched on the chair arm?"

"Meh bored I guess"

"Kai...?"

"Hn?"

"Don't go out alone"

"Why not?"

"Just please?"

"I'll be fine, I can look after myself Raven"

"I know you can, but I just can't help but feel edgy after what happened to Hannah" A shudder ran through her body at the thought.

"Don't worry" She felt his weight shift off the bed, "I'll be back soon enough" Her eyes widened in shock as she felt his lips press down lightly on hers, it was over as soon as it had started. He was gone.

* * *

Hannah stirred on the bed, a faint moan escaping her lips. Her eyelids fluttered open and she tried to push herself upwards on the bed. She fell back against the pillows.

"You're awake?!" A familiar voice cried out and she found herself gathered into gentle arms. She turned her head and buried her face in the soft, vanilla smelling shirt in front of her. "Tala..." she murmured and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding on tightly.

"I was so worried" Tala said softly, "You've been asleep for days!"

"Has anything happened?" she asked softly

"No, nothings happened since you got here"

She pulled out of his embrace and looked down at her dishevelled state. "I feel like a mummy" she giggled, gesturing to the bandages, "I think they went a bit overboard"

Tala allowed himself a chuckle, "How are your legs feeling?" he asked thoughtfully.

She reached down, wincing as she pulled at the muscles and new tissues, and tapped her knee cap, nothing. She brought her fist down on the leg.

"Numb" she replied. She thumped the mattress angrily "what has he done to me?!" she growled.

"I don't know, but we'll get you on your feet again, and then we can have our revenge" Tala vowed.

"Promise?" her dark brown eyes looked up at him pleadingly,

"Promise" he determined with a nod of his head, he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

"Tala...I need to tell you something"

"Go ahead"

She reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair, and brought his lips down on hers in a soft but passionate lock.

She broke the kiss, "I love you"


End file.
